Keith Brown was a forceful right-hand batsman who relied on a solid technique and improvisation, who made his Middlesex debut in 1984 and, as an opener, scored 102 against the touring Australians in only his fourth match and on his debut at Lord's the following year. With Colin Metson and Paul Downton and then Paul Farbrace on the books, Brown played as a specialist batsman for several years, but when circumstances led to the county needing a keeper, Brown stepped into the breach with great success. He established himself as the first-choice keeper-batsman and continued to average over 30 every season despite the extra responsibility. As a keeper he was solid rather than spectacular, but he was the kind of professional that any county longed for. When he retired at the end of 1998 he was the county's sixth most prolific wicketkeeper and only the second Middlesex wicketkeeper to exceed 10,000 runs and 500 dismissals in first-class cricket. He became a schoolmaster in Devon.
Martin Williamson