Head Coach Alan Richardson says it is a great sight to see Pat Brown making a major impact with the ball – and also when in the field – during Worcestershire Rapids flying start to the 2023 Vitality Blast.
Brown returned his best Blast figures since 2018 finals day with his 4-25 in the superb win over Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge on Friday evening.
The pace bowler and captain Brett D’Oliveira are the joint leading wicket-takers in the tournament with 11 from four games alongside Somerset’s Ben Green who has played a match more.
Richardson said: “That comes from executing your skills really well, holding your nerve and having some real cricket nous and that’s three qualities these guys have in abundance.
“They know what they are trying to do, they execute it well, they hold their nerve, and they enjoy bowling in those moments.”
Brown has moved into joint third spot in the Rapids list of all-time wicket-takers with 82, the same as Moeen Ali.
He also made a massive contribution with his fielding on the square boundary, where he covered acres of ground to save precious runs.
Richardson said: “Someone like Pat puts his hand up to bowl the tough overs. He generally bowls the last over of the powerplay, which is historically a tough over to do and he wants to do that.
“He also wants to stick himself out in ‘hotspots’, and make sure he is fielding as many balls as possible.
“Selfishly for us, it is fantastic for Worcestershire to see Pat doing so well, but more importantly for Pat. He had such a good couple of years in 2018 and 2019.
“It’s been a tough couple of years with injury, so it’s nice to watch him enjoying his cricket and making those contributions that we know he can.”
D’Oliveira said: “That is a tremendous thing about Pat, that he has got two strings to his bow, his bowling and his fielding.
“He is constantly asking to go out on the boundary, and that’s what I want from the fielders. They want to get in the areas where the ball is going, and that’s half the battle to being a good fielder.”
D’Oliveira’s 4-11 from two overs was his Blast best performance, surpassing the 4-20 versus Lancashire Lightning at New Road last summer.
