Cricket: Patient Brownlie looks to have makings of solid test player

Dean Brownlie. Photo / Getty Images

Dean Brownlie has never been to McLean Park but there's a good chance his first visit will be in two weeks as part of New Zealand's middle order.

The Cantabrian's rise to holding down a spot in the Black Caps' batting line-up has taken a different route than most, but he looks to have the makings of a solid test-match player.

Born in Perth, Brownlie represented Western Australia at under-17 and under-19 level and, after a stint for the Kent second XI in England, the right-hander turned up in Christchurch in 2009.

His New Zealand eligibility comes via his Christchurch-born father, Jim, and many Black Caps fans were glad of the 27-year-old's inclusion when he played a pivotal role in the recent drawn series against Australia.

His first foray into international cricket was less successful, when he scored five and a duck against Pakistan in two Twenty20 internationals, but he showed his mettle in tests against Zimbabwe and Australia and looks at home in NZ's middle order.

His form has put pressure on more established players in the batting order, although Jesse Ryder's latest injury could make it an easier decision.

In Australia Brownlie played with a degree of patience not usually seen in other New Zealand batsmen, as his 77 in the first innings of the Brisbane test was a 249-minute vigil.

Brownlie is strong square of the wicket, a style of play likely honed in his younger days on the bouncy pitches in Western Australia.

A regular at No 5 for his province, Brownlie said he would slot in wherever he was needed for the national side as long as he was involved. "Whether it's four, five or six ... as long as I'm playing I'm a happy man," he said. "So if I'm batting six, or I'm batting five or batting four I'm not complaining."

With plenty of cricket to be played during the next 2 months, as New Zealand host Zimbabwe and South Africa, Brownlie wants to add to his international appearance tally.

"I'd like a go in all three [formats] and I suppose every cricketer would like that, but I've just got to score runs," he said. "If you score runs you'll get picked and if I don't score runs I won't, so the numbers take care of themselves and I'll just make sure I score enough runs."

Since returning from Australia, Brownlie has averaged a touch over 22 in the national domestic T20 competition, with a highest score of 42.

The limited overs' batting line-ups will also likely be reshuffled for New Zealand, depending on how long Ryder is out. Brownlie has put up his hand with solid domestic form, averaging 34.5 from 12 one-dayers for Canterbury, including four 50s.

Although a heavy diet of T20 cricket seems like the worst-possible preparation for a test match, as domestic sides fight out the HRV Cup, Brownlie tried to put a positive spin on it.

"It's not too bad. You are still hitting balls and you are still playing cricket, so it's not the worst. Obviously there are parts of your game it's going to help - if you're batting with the tail or you need to get off strike in a test match and those sort of things come to help you in the longer version of the game."

AT A GLANCE

Name: Dean Brownlie
Age: 27
Born: Perth, Western Australia
Major teams: New Zealand, Canterbury, Kent 2nd XI, Western Australia under-19
Tests: 3 matches, 268 runs at 53.60, 3 50s
T20 internationals: 2 matches, 5 runs at 2.50.