I'm probably in the best form of my life."Although it was not quite a blur, Brown could not remember much of it in detail, though he added: "I do remember most of the sixes when Darren Thomas dropped it short."That it is Brown's benefit year was obvious from the start: Glamorgan's attack gave generously to his cause as he helped Surrey pile up a world record for a one-day match, either in domestic cricket or internationals. It was also a record aggregate for limited overs matches at The Oval, surpassing the 707 amassed by Surrey and Worcestershire in the same competition in 1994 (a match Surrey lost narrowly).Brown is a batsman in the mould of Ian Botham or Colin Milburn, in that when spectators know he is at the crease they leave the bars in droves and go out to watch him. He puts bums on seats, although the way he flayed the Glamorgan attack he had the enthusiastic crowd on their feet for most of the innings, until he was bowled off the first ball of the final over.However, if anyone thought Glamorgan had been battered into submission, Robert Croft, their acting captain, dispelled all such notions within five balls of the commencement of the reply as he smashed Martin Bicknell for five consecutive boundaries.Croft went on to reach an admirable hundred – indeed it took him 24 balls fewer than Brown to reach three figures. His innings contained some glorious shots, including three sixes and 18 fours. It gave Glamorgan the perfect momentum to mount a challenge to Surrey's total as the Welsh side scampered along at around nine runs an over before their captain skied a catch on the 69th ball of his innings.There then followed a further century from the Glamorgan left-hander David Hemp, his first since returning to the county from Warwickshire. Hemp paced himself almost perfectly, allowing himself to be a foil for his partners, yet he still reached his century in better than a run a ball, so good was the pitch.Hemp's contribution helped set up a tense finish.

He did improve his own personal-best – 11 in his 203 – by oneSURREY'S TOTAL OF 438-5World record for limited-overs match: previous best: Somerset's 413 for 4 made in 10 overs more against Devon in the NatWest Trophy in 1990. Glamorgan go second with 429MATCH TOTAL OF 867-15This exceeds the world-best of 754-16 by India v India B in 2000/2001. The highest total in England, 707, was also at The Oval – Worcestershire 357 for 2, Surrey 350 – in 1994.BOWLING FIGURES Darren Thomas's 3 for 108 from nine overs are the most costly figures in world limited-overs history. The previous 'best' was 2 for 107 by Chris Lovell for Cornwall v Warwickshire in 1996, but that was from 12 oversALI BROWN FACTFILE1970: Born February 11 in Beckenham.1989/90: Plays for North Perth and Western Australia.1990: Wins Lanzarote Open Pool Championship.1992: Makes his county debut for Surrey and scores three of the eight fastest centuries in 71, 78 and 79 balls.1993/94/95: Travels with England XI to Singapore.1994: Won his first county cap.1996: Scores 118 against India in the third one-day international having made his England debut in the opening game of the series. Makes 203 off 119 balls against Hampshire in the Sunday League.1997/98: Travels with England to Sharjah for the Champions Trophy.1998: Scores 72-ball 100 against Northamptonshire to become joint winner of the EDS Walter Lawrence Trophy for the fastest first-class 100 of the season. Hits a 31-ball 50 against South Africa in the Texaco Trophy match at Headingley, the fastest 50 in the history of the competition.2000: Unbeaten 295 against Leicestershire at Oakham School.2001: Wins Benson & Hedges Gold Award for his 108 in the quarter-final against Sussex at Hove.2002: Granted a benefit for 2002 Wins Surrey CCC Batsman of the Season award..

The Essex all-rounder Ronnie Irani, Sussex's James Kirtley and Alex Tudor, the man of the match at the recent Test at Old Trafford, were the three most notable inclusions in England's 15-man squad announced yesterday for the NatWest Triangular one-day series that starts a week today at Trent Bridge. A few good performances during this tournament could mean their name is written down in ink on Nasser Hussain or Duncan Fletcher's notebook rather than pencil.Following this tournament, which also includes India and Sri Lanka, England have only the International Cricket Council Trophy in Sri Lanka in September and a triangular one-day competition in Australia to finalise their World Cup squad.The selection of Irani is just reward for numerous outstanding county performances in both versions of the game this season. It has been five years since the Essex captain played a one-day game for England, on their tour of New Zealand in 1996-97, and even though he came back for a Test match at The Oval in 1999, against the same opposition, he would have thought that at the age of 30 his international days were probably behind him.But through being in the form of his life – he averages almost 85 and has won four man of the match awards in one-day cricket this summer – he deserves another opportunity."It's always a nice touch to get back on the international scene," he said. "But I have got a big game before that at Lord's [the B & H final on Saturday]. After that I will try and win some games for England."Nasser rang me last night and I immediately reminded him that we had a big game against Lancashire and it was against my old boys and told him to come in focused."Then he said 'by the way you have been picked for the England set-up'. I didn't even know the meeting was last night."His role will be to fill the vacancies left by Craig White, whose omission is due to a lack of form for Yorkshire, and that caused by the tragic death of Ben Hollioake during the winter.While there can be few worries about his batting and his ability to not only take an attack apart, but see his side through to victory when chasing a target, his bowling, which is nothing more than medium pace, may get a sterner testing against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sanath Jayasuriya.The happiest man yesterday would have been James Kirtley.

The Sussex fast bowler's international career, which started last October in Zimbabwe, could not have got off to a worse start. Following a good performance with the ball in Harare, where he took 2 for 33, he was reported to the International Cricket Council for throwing by the match referee.However, after a winter correcting the problems in his action, with the former England fast-bowling coach Bob Cottam, he received the all clear, and has carried on with as much success as ever. Last summer Kirtley was one of only three bowlers to take more than 100 wickets in all forms of domestic cricket, and this season, he is the second highest wicket-taker in the country with 54 victims.Kirtley, with only three caps to his name, will not be England's most inexperienced one-day fast bowler. This honour falls to Tudor who has yet to feature for England in the shortened form of the game. The Surrey man owes his selection to his excellent performance in the third Test against Sri Lanka. From nowhere he finds himself very much a part of England's one-day plans.How much cricket Kirtley and Tudor play in this tournament depends largely on the fitness of Darren Gough. Hussain and Fletcher, England's captain and coach, are doing all they can to get their talisman back involved, but rushing him back before he is fully fit would be unwise with so much important cricket to come.