Canny Pat Brown makes the right noises in Worcestershire's triumph

There were many fine performances during Worcestershire's Vitality Blast T20 Finals Day triumph at Edgbaston but none more impressive than that of 20 year-old fast-bowler Pat Brown. He bowled eight overs across the semi-final and final, conceding just 36 runs and picking up four wickets which further proved his growing reputation as one of the brightest bowling prospects in the country.

Brown finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 31 victims across 17 matches and an economy rate of less than eight an over. His performances have been so impressive that his county captain, Moeen Ali, thinks he should already be on England's radar for the winter white-ball tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies.

"From game one this season, I felt he was getting better game by game," Moeen said. "The quality he is showing is international standard. I've not seen anybody in county cricket get hold of him yet. It's not just what he bowls. He has the character and the guts to go a long way.

"I think after today he is very close. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets something in the winter. I can see him getting a chance in T20 or one-day matches or something."

For now, Brown is basking in the afterglow of leading Worcestershire to their first ever T20 Blast triumph. "It's just such a surreal feeling," Brown said. "It's not something I ever expected to feel - to get to this level or play on this sort of stage. To finally do that, words can't describe it, it's surreal."

Brown's success in the matches against Lancashire and Sussex stemmed from clever use of his variations. He is no slouch, capable of bowling above 85mph, which meant he kept the batsman honest, and he used an off-cutter and a knuckle ball to change things up. It did seem that he had more up his sleeve than just the two slower deliveries. "If there's more, I am not meaning to!" he joked.

"I just try to bowl them at the right times, when I think I need to change them up. That gut feel has worked well for me this year, I've bowled the right ball at the right time. Luckily, lads have hit it in the air and the lads in the field have backed me up because most of my wickets have been catches. In 17 games I've not had a single dropped catch off my bowling."

There are not many bowlers in English cricket who have perfected the knuckle ball but Brown feels like it has improved in the past year after a few mistakes in second team cricket. "I don't feel like it's got that much better, I was bowling it last year," he said. "I've just learned to bowl it at the right time and I have better control of length now. I'm able to bowl it fuller.

"It was Matt Mason, who is at Leicestershire now, who I worked on it with. I found it fairly easy to bowl it, but to bowl it at guys who are trying to whack you out the park and with all the outside noise, it takes a lot of practice to back yourself and bowl it at the right time. It's being brave enough to go full enough with it. I've bowled a few beamers with it in second team games."

If Brown does not get a place on England's senior winter tours it is almost certain he will be included on the Lions programme. After his fine performances in the Blast, it's not out of the question that he could get a gig or two in the various T20 leagues being played this winter. In the meantime, Brown will be back at Worcester University next week, continuing his studies.