JT Brown

J. T. BROWN, who comes from the small town of Driffield, in Yorkshire, was born on the 20th of August, 1869, and is thus at the present time in his 26th year. He first played for Yorkshire in 1889, appearing in seven of the 25 matches in which the county eleven took part, but his reputation, like that of Brockwell, has been made in the last two seasons. In 1893, when Yorkshire carried off the championship, there was a close race for first place in the averages in the county matches between Brown, Tunnicliffe, and Mr. Sellers, but Brown just won with 712 runs in the 16 fixtures, and an average of 28.12. In all matches for Yorkshire that year he was third with an aggregate of 1,141 runs, and an average of 23.14, while in first-class matches he was ninth among the professional batsmen, obtaining 889 runs, and averaging 23.15. Writing of his performances for his county we said in WISDEN that he gained the place of honour, and thoroughly deserved it. Indeed it was the general opinion when the season of 1893 ended that Yorkshire had found a batsman of first-class powers, and that, well as he had already done, Brown was likely to do still better in the future. These expectations were abundantly borne but last season, when Brown won an unquestioned position among the best professional batsmen of the day. He did not begin very well, but once having played himself into form he never looked back. In all matches for Yorkshire he had far and away the highest aggregate, and was only fractionally behind F. S. Jackson in the averages, while in the general first class-averages he came out ninth on the list, scoring 1397 runs with an average of 30.17. On three occasions he obtained a hundred or more, scoring 141 for Yorkshire v. Liverpool and District, 101 for the North against the South in Wood's benefit match at the Oval, and 100 for Yorkshire against Gloucestershire. Brown is a batsman of great resources, and though, like everyone else, he is seen at his best on a firm lively pitch, he has over and over again proved his ability to get runs under difficult conditions. A fine illustration of his power to force the game on a wet ground was afforded in the Yorkshire and Kent match during the Canterbury Week. Nature has not been over liberal to him in the matter of height, but he makes up by skill for lack of inches, the way in which he can master a quick-rising ball being remarkable. He has a strong and watchful defence, and many ways of getting runs. Up to the end of 1893 he had been regarded as an out-field, but last season, owing to some affection of the feet, he was placed at point, in which position he was most successful, repeatedly stopping the hardest hits, and bringing off some brilliant catches. Indeed it is doubtful if last summer there was a better point in England. Brown was the last choice for Mr. Stoddart's team for Australia, only being asked when Abel had declined an invitation.