Syd Brown

Sydney Maurice ("Syd") Brown (8 December 1917 – 28 December 1987) was an English cricketer active from 1937 to 1955 who played for Middlesex in 329 first-class matches as an opening batsman. He was born in Eltham, Kent, and died at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, aged 70.

Brown was a righthanded batsman and the regular opening partner of Jack Robertson at Middlesex. He was noted by Playfair as a "brilliant outfield". In his career, he scored 15,756 runs at an average of 29.17 with a highest innings score of 232*, one of 22 centuries. He completed eighty half-centuries. His highest score was made against Somerset at Lord's in 1951. He held 152 catches and, as he was an occasional wicketkeeper, completed two stumpings.

CricInfo describes Brown as "stocky in build and somewhat flat-footed". He was "an attacking opening batsman" and "an outstanding fielder". On his 1937 debut for Middlesex, against Oxford University, he opened the innings with E. W. Swanton who was making the first of only three first-class appearances. Jack Robertson made his debut in the same game but batted in the middle order.

Brown showed great promise in 1937, playing mostly for the county's Second XI team. He became the regular first team opener in 1938 when he scored his maiden first-class century against Lancashire and was just short of 1,000 runs for the season, earning the award of his county cap. He struggled to find form in 1939 and then his career was interrupted by the Second World War. Brown joined the British Army and was posted to Aldershot Command where he was stationed from 1940 to 1944. He played in numerous wartime cricket matches, often for teams representing the Aldershot Command or District, many of them at Lord's. He did not play in 1945 due to military duties.

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