Brown supports Surrey stalwarts

Ali Brown cuts an imperious figure on his Nottinghamshire first-class debut against Worcestershire at Trent Bridge this week

Ali Brown believes Surrey’s policy of packing their coaching staff with former players will pay dividends in years to come.

The 39-year-old, who joined Nottinghamshire in December following 20 years at Surrey, has seen many of his former team-mates appointed to their backroom staff over the winter.

Alec Stewart took on a coaching, mentoring and consultancy role, while there were coaching positions for Graham Thorpe (batting), Martin Bicknell (bowling) and Ian Salisbury (second XI).

According to Brown, those members of Surrey’s late-1990s golden generation will command the respect to restore former glories to the Brit Oval.

“I feel a bit left out really,” he joked to ecb.co.uk in the bustling Trent Bridge pavilion. “The fact that everyone seems to be coming back from that era when we won a lot of trophies, as coaches for various things and mentors.

“They’ve made some big changes and they’ve thrown a lot into the coaching staff that they want for the future for the club. I think they will do very well.

“They’ve made some big decisions already and, okay they can’t win the championship because they’re in Division Two and for one-day (NatWest Pro40) cricket too, but there are some very good young players there and with the right set-up and the right sort of respect they’ll be back and they’ll go far.

“In two or three years time I see them being a major force again. It’s a rebuilding period at the moment but, as I said, there are some very good young players there who require a bit of experience to stand up and do what they want to do.”

Surrey released Brown in September, but Division One Nottinghamshire snapped up the former England one-day batsman, who won 16 caps from 1996 to 2001, on a two-year contract.

Brown's former Surrey team-mate Graham Thorpe is now the county's batting coach

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The versatile right-hander faced a battle to maintain a first team spot at Surrey and recognises it will be the same at Trent Bridge.

However, he is delighted to be playing for a side that last season narrowly missed out on the championship title they won in 2005.

“It’s great to be here. It’s been very easy to settle. I feel like I’ve been here years and not just weeks. It’s a very enjoyable new challenge,” he added.

“I missed half of last year anyway through selection, so it’s nice to play for a side that has a massive chance of winning the championship, as well as the one-day competitions, and to be heavily involved.

“I’m looking forward to this year. I’m probably as well prepared as ever and I’m hungry to do well.”

Brown is pragmatic about his first-team chances at Trent Bridge with so much talent among the Nottinghamshire squad but, as a senior member, is determined to enjoy his twilight years.

“I’m available for all cricket. I feel I’m fit and ready, but if England players come back and there’s no position for me then I quite understand that as well,” he continued.

“As an older player I’m probably a bit more relaxed how things go, but I’m keen to play all cricket. I’d love to play every game but, if that’s not the case, then I’m not going to get too worried about it.”

Beyond his playing days, Brown is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Stewart, Thorpe, Bicknell and Salisbury into coaching.

The idea of a return to Surrey brought a glint to his eye but he remains focussed on his initial responsibility at Notts.

“I’m level three qualified at the moment and it’s something that I enjoy doing at whatever level, “Brown explained. “It’s certainly something that I would like to do, whether that’s at a school or whether that’s back at Surrey, but we’ll see.

Brown is settling in well at Nottinghamshire but recognises competition for places is fierce among such a talented squad

“I’m not pre-empting what’s going to happen. I’ve got two years here which I want to be as good as, if not better, than any other years that I’ve had and I don’t believe that at my age that suddenly everything should slow down.

“In fact, my fitness tests are probably better than they were 10 years ago. I feel enthused and full of energy and ready to put a lot of people right.”