by Mayukh Ghosh
A 40-year old, bravely toiling away in the heat at Sydney, bowling medium-pace and leg-spin, white neckerchief at his throat, face bright red....
The ideal John Bull figure.
44 8-ball overs.
After scoring a fighting 79 against the likes of Miller and Lindwall.
Not enough to save his team from an innings defeat but the Aussies liked the bloody-minded and somewhat autocratic English skipper.
A few months before all this, he was under a shower when asked the question " Can you lead the team?"
He had recently taken up an appointment with an engineering firm. He calmly replied ," I'll ask the boss."
The boss shouted on the telephone," If you don't take the job, you're fired."
Freddie Brown was playing for Surrey when Northamptonshire played dismal cricket continuously over four summers in the 1930s.
Played 101. Won 0. Drew 40. Lost 61.
Then, war intervened.
Brown was a prisoner of the war in Italy and North Africa.
He had lost several stones of weight.
Northants, on the other hand, thought of winding up.
It was Dennis Brookes who prevented that but there was no improvement in their performance in the first three seasons after the war.
Two men led them in those seasons.
One of them always changed the bowling by the clock.
The other once abandoned his pursuit of the ball because his cap had blown off.
And then, early in 1949, Freddie Brown was persuaded onto the payroll of British Timken.
He was chosen to lead 'Timkenshire'.
By the force of his personality he dragged the county with him. He emphasised the importance of fielding and decided to leave out a decent batsman because he was not keen enough to give his all while fielding.
He never asked anybody to do anything he wouldn't do himself.
The tough war taught him all that.
The county finished sixth that year.
One of the most remarkable turnarounds in the history of cricket.
Brown led England with distinction.
He chaired the NCA at a crucial juncture.
He was the chairman of selectors who chose an Ashes winning team.
But his greatest achievement was leading that Northants team in 1949.
Freddie Brown was born on December 16, 1910.