| Ben Brown | |
| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | Ben Christopher Brown |
| Birth Date: | 23 November 1988 |
| Birth Place: | Crawley, West Sussex, England |
| Heightft: | 5 |
| Heightinch: | 8 |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Role: | Wicketkeeper |
| Club1: | Sussex |
| Clubnumber1: | 26 |
| Club2: | Hampshire |
| Clubnumber2: | 10 |
| Type1: | FC |
| Debutdate1: | 19 July |
| Debutyear1: | 2007 |
| Debutfor1: | Sussex |
| Debutagainst1: | Sri Lanka A |
| Type2: | LA |
| Debutdate2: | 16 September |
| Debutyear2: | 2007 |
| Debutfor2: | Sussex |
| Debutagainst2: | Nottinghamshire |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 192 |
| Runs1: | 10,342 |
| Bat Avg1: | 39.32 |
| 100S/50S1: | 25/52 |
| Top Score1: | 165 |
| Deliveries1: | 120 |
| Wickets1: | 1 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 109.00 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 1/48 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 548/28 |
| Column2: | LA |
| Matches2: | 108 |
| Runs2: | 2,113 |
| Bat Avg2: | 27.80 |
| 100S/50S2: | 2/13 |
| Top Score2: | 139 |
| Deliveries2: | – |
| Wickets2: | – |
| Bowl Avg2: | – |
| Fivefor2: | – |
| Tenfor2: | – |
| Best Bowling2: | – |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 115/12 |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches3: | 82 |
| Runs3: | 840 |
| Bat Avg3: | 15.00 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/1 |
| Top Score3: | 68 |
| Deliveries3: | – |
| Wickets3: | – |
| Bowl Avg3: | – |
| Fivefor3: | – |
| Tenfor3: | – |
| Best Bowling3: | – |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 41/7 |
| Date: | 19 August |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/259517.html CricInfo |
Ben Christopher Brown (born 23 November 1988) is an English cricketer who plays for Hampshire County Cricket Club as a wicket-keeper and right-handed batsman. He had previously played for Sussex County Cricket Club serving as captain from 2017 to 2021.
Brown was born in Crawley, West Sussex and educated at Ardingly College.[1]
Brown came through the Sussex youth system, first appearing at under-11 level and going on to make his second XI debut in May 2004.[2] [3] He was a regular for the England under-19 team between 2007 and 2008 featuring in four 'Tests' and 24 'ODIs' including five appearances at the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[1] [4]
In July 2007, Brown made his first-class debut for Sussex in a tour match against Sri Lanka A scoring 46 off 25 balls[5] and made his List A debut against Nottinghamshire in September 2007.[6]
Brown's initial opportunities as wicket-keeper were limited by the presence of Matt Prior and Andrew Hodd, but Brown did play eight group games in the 2009 Twenty20 Cup, a competition Sussex would go on to win.[7] On his County Championship debut against Worcestershire in May 2010, he was dismissed for a four-ball duck.[8] He scored his maiden first-class century later that season against Derbyshire in an innings where all of Sussex's top four batsmen made hundreds.[9]
In May 2014, Brown scored a then career-best of 163 against Durham. In partnership with Luke Wright they added a county record 335 for the sixth wicket having come together at 115/5.[10] Brown's score surpassed the best achieved by a number seven batsman for Sussex previously held by Jim Parks.[11] Later that season Brown was awarded his county cap.[12]
In the 2015 season, Brown was one of only two Sussex players to score over 1,000 runs in the County Championship;[13] Brown scored 1,031 Championship runs at an average of 44.82, with four centuries.[14] In December 2015, Brown signed a new contract to stay at Sussex until 2018, and was announced as the county's vice-captain. Sussex head coach Mark Davis described him as a "natural leader".[14]
Following the captaincy resignation of Luke Wright midway through the 2017 season, Brown was named skipper for the remainder of the County Championship campaign.[15] Ahead of the 2018 season he was named the permanent club captain.[16] He finished the year as Sussex's leading run-scorer with over 1,000 first-class runs as well as completing 55 dismissals.[17]
In July 2021, Brown was removed as captain following Sussex's poor performance in the first phase of the 2021 County Championship.[18] His own contribution across the season was 976 runs at an average of 51.36 including four centuries, he ended the campaign batting at number three as a specialist batsman. In December 2021, Sussex announced that they had agreed to Brown's request to leave the club and end his contract which had two years remaining.[19]
In January 2022, Hampshire announced the signing of Brown on an initial two-year contract.[20] On 7 April 2022, he made his county debut against Somerset.[21] Two weeks after his debut he made his first century for the club as he hit 157 against Kent, sharing in a stand of 273 with Liam Dawson which broke the Hampshire fifth wicket record.[22]
In May 2024, Brown scored a career-best 165 not out against Surrey as Hampshire inflicted one of their opponents heaviest defeats.[23]