BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):SCOTLAND ALL-ROUNDER Dougie Brown is excited as he prepares for his side's campaign in the upcoming Cricket World Cup (CWC). At age 37, Brown says he has a new lease on life and is expected to play a key role in the Scots' fortunes in the tournament that bowls off on March 13.
In the late 1990s, the journeyman played for England in nine one-day internationals. In 1999, he represented Scotland at the World Cup. In 2003, he was coach of Namibia at the World Cup.
Now, he is back in the blue uniform of his homeland and he plans to use his vast experience to help the younger members of the team.
"I've been around for quite a few years now, but I'm still excited to be a part of the World Cup," Brown said after a training session at the Carlton Club, outside Bridgetown.
"Playing for England was my first opportunity at the international level and I took it. At that point there was not much happening for Scottish cricket so I took the chance to play for England.
Disappointed
"Nobody can change the fact that I played for England and I had a chance to rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world. I was disappointed I didn't get more of an opportunity, but here I am today, being handed a great opportunity to play for Scotland.
"I played for Scotland in the 1999 World Cup and that was exciting. In 2003 it was a bit different with Namibia. I wasn't on the field, so I was kind of helpless - but I'm on top of the world to get on the field this time around."
Brown has been a stand-out at Warwickshire in the English County Championship. In a career spanning three decades, he has made 8,511 runs and taken 567 wickets in 209 first-class matches.
"I have been lucky to have had a wonderful career back in England with Warwickshire. So even though I was not handed the opportunities I thought I would have had with England I have moved on to pastures new and I'm delighted."
Scotland are drawn in Group A of the CWC preliminary round alongside South Africa, who head the current world one-day rankings, defending champions Australia and the Netherlands.
