Mental edge will be key, says Brown

Phil BanyardChris Brown has pledged to use his new status as one of the country's leading coaches to help Norfolk build on their success of last season. Brown recently passed the England and Wales Cricket Board's Level Four coaching qualification, putting him among the top 90 coaches in the country and alongside top level coaches such as Andy Flower, Tom Moody and Peter Moores.Phil Banyard

Chris Brown has pledged to use his new status as one of the country's leading coaches to help Norfolk build on their success of last season.

Brown recently passed the England and Wales Cricket Board's Level Four coaching qualification, putting him among the top 90 coaches in the country and alongside top level coaches such as Andy Flower, Tom Moody and Peter Moores.

It was the culmination of three years' hard work for the 35-year-old Norfolk player/coach and he hopes the county will feel the benefit of what he has learned as they look to follow up their MCCA Knockout Trophy success in 2009: "The lads in the county set-up have the talent, but a large part of Level Four focuses on the mental side of the game and I will be looking to help them perform under pressure, which for me is key," said Brown.

"Having that mental strength and knowledge in crucial moments during games is vitally important."

The Level Four course contains 12 modules, including coaching skills, as well as sections focusing on batting, pace bowling, spin bowling, fielding and wicketkeeping. Other modules include psychology, physiology and biomechanics. In order to gain the qualification, Brown had to pass an assessment which included a presentation and in-depth interviews.

He was assessed alongside Essex coach Paul Grayson, who also passed. Brown added: "I was absolutely delighted when I got the call to say I'd passed. A lot of people go through it, but get referred after the assessment or don't quite get through, so I was really pleased and it is my biggest achievement yet."

Although his new status could inevitably lead to job offers elsewhere, Brown insisted he was keen to remain with Norfolk for the immediate future: "I would like to play and coach here for another couple of years, but of course you never know what's around the corner," he said. "I would like to coach an associate country, the likes of Holland or Scotland and from there possibly go on to coach a first class county in the long term, but you never know."

The news of Brown's qualification was welcomed by Norfolk Cricket Board chairman Keir Hounsome, who said: "We are absolutely delighted that Chris has qualified as a Level Four coach. It's a tremendous achievement for Chris and thoroughly deserved. The whole of Norfolk cricket should also be proud of his enhanced status as a coach of the highest calibre."