Pat Brown

Pat Brown announced himself as England's most promising T20 bowler in 2018, taking 31 wickets in the Blast season as a 20-year-old and playing a starring role on Finals Day as he led Worcestershire to a maiden crown. Brown's skilfully disguised offcutters and knuckleballs made him a priceless asset at the death, and he cemented his reputation with a solid 2019 Blast season, holding his nerve in a one-run semi-final win against Nottinghamshire.

Spotted at a Pace Factor open day at Wellington School - effectively an open day for young fast bowlers who might have been missed by the first-class counties - Brown's potential was such that he was soon offered trials at six counties. But Matt Mason, the Worcestershire bowling coach, and Ross Dewar, the Worcestershire strength and conditioning coach (who also helped organise the trial), were among those in attendance and persuaded Brown to join them in the academy at New Road.

He was offered a Cricket Scholarship at the University of Worcester and made his Championship debut during the 2017 season as an 18-year-old. He would have played in at least two franchise leagues in the 2018-19 winter but for a stress fracture, but instead completed his business management degree on his way back to full fitness.

Brown earned a maiden England call-up for the T20 series in New Zealand in 2019-20, performing creditably on some small grounds, but failed to play a game in his planned Big Bash stint for Melbourne Stars due to another back injury, which also ruled him out of the South Africa tour. His 2020 summer was a setback: he took only eight Blast wickets with an economy rate of 10.85, struggling for confidence after his fitness issues.

ESPNcricinfo staff