Season 2001 promises to be one of the most important in Simon Brown's career.

The summer should provide him with his 500th first-class wicket for Durham, the county of his birth. And after 14 years as a first-class cricketer and with one Test cap to his name – 1996 versus Pakistan at Lord's – Brown has been awarded a benefit year.

Brown told CricInfo that while organising and arranging a benefit year had lots of headaches, it was important at the outset to get a reliable and experienced committee to assist you throughout the year. Now that this is in place, the left-arm pace bowler can look forward to several rounds of celebrity golf, lunches and dinners, sponsored competitions and cricket-related activities in aid of his benefit.

Brown started his first-class career in 1987 at Northampton. Durham did not exist as a first-class county then and so a local scout, Doug Ferguson, managed to get him a trial at Northants. From the trial Brown went on to break into the first team but could not consistently hold down a place.

"They were a super side then," says Brown. "There were two overseas players on the books, a certain Mr Ambrose and also Winston Davis." Additionally, Denis Lillee and Greg Thomas came and went and David Capel was developing his skills too. "It was difficult to hold down a place," says Simon, "but a tremendous place to be and very enjoyable."

However, when Durham came along in 1991 and offered him a contract it seemed like a great move for the bowler who is also a trained electrician. Since first-class status was finally achieved in 1992, Brown has played 135 first-class games for Durham and taken 482 wickets. "When we first started it was hard for me as the bowling attack was patchy," says Brown. "Hughsey (Simon Hughes) and Botham bowled a bit still and so did Paul Parker but I had a lot of work to do." But travelling around the area in Durham's peripatetic early life was great fun and nobody minded, he said.

Brown bowled the first first-class delivery at Durham's Riverside ground in 1995 to Warwickshire opener Andy Moles. However, he does not see this as his most memorable moment in his career to date; there are two others that stand out. One is Durham's first limited-overs match at the Durham University Racecourse Ground against Lancashire in 1992. "The atmosphere was just tremendous," he says, "along with the enthusiasm of a packed crowd." His second highlight would have to be his Test Cap at Lord's. "I would have liked more caps, of course, but look what happened to other left-armers like Mike Smith of Gloucestershire - one cap and then that's it. Don't know why really."

His chance for more international recognition has gone now so his priority is getting Durham back into the first division of the County Championship in 2001 and up in the National League.

Season 2000 was a major disappointment for all at the club and Brown felt that the retirement of David Boon at the end of 1999 was a loss that was perhaps too much to bear. "He was so very difficult to replace. He did not say much but when he did you took notice as he had been there and done it and could lead by example." Brown continued: "This was so true of all the development work Boon had done in Tasmania so we at Durham knew we had a guy who knew what he was at."

In addition, heavyweight batter John Morris left and was not replaced so this left a major hole in the Durham middle order batting that only now are the club getting to grips with.

"I played cricket from an early age because I liked it," says Simon. He obviously still does and at the age of 31 still has a number of years left in him, especially as he can now give more of the fast-bowling work to Steve Harmison and Ian Hunter. However, he now sees more players who are in the game not so much for the enjoyment but for the money.

"More and more players are moving between counties when five years ago this was still rare. Players are now seeking out better wages and you cannot blame them as it is a short career," he said.

"Money is tight in the game for most players," he added, "and we could really do without agents taking their percentage out of the game and not putting it back." Certainly he felt that current players should not be agents.

Was it perhaps time to reform the benefit system? Brown felt that a more ideal system would be one of higher salaries all-round for players or one where the clubs put money aside in lump sums for players. The benefit system meant that not all worthy players received one and this was an anomaly in the game that could be looked at.

However, for now it was off to the gym for more of the winter fitness programme and then on to fund-raising by one of the professional game's more acute observers and fine and consistent performers.

For more details on Simon Brown's benefit, contact David Martin on 01740 658500.

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