MICHAEL Brown savoured his return to the Lancashire League crease for his hometown club Burnley – and says it was a pleasure to take to the field at Rishton.

The Surrey opener, who last month was appointed as Burnley chairman, played in the game at Rishton on Saturday – and 11 years to the day since his last appearance for Burnley, Brown helped his club to a first win of the season.

“I enjoyed it,” said the 31-year-old.

“And it made it even better to go on and get the win, especially as it was the first win of the season – but it was strange being back on a club wicket.

“I enjoyed batting on it until I popped one up and got out.”

Brown’s return to league action did raise eyebrows in some quarters with sceptics not keen on seeing a county player turn out in the league.

League rules allow county players to represent their home club, though, and Brown is a big believer in that.

“You have to put things back into the game,” he said.

“I had the chance to play and with both Bharat and Vishal Tripathi leaving Burnley, Danny Pickup being injured and Michael Kelly being unavailable, it left them short on experience.

“It’s not as though I just came up from London to take the place of a youngster just for a game.

"I am from Burnley, I started at Burnley, my family lives up here and I am the club chairman – so no-one can say that I have no connection and shouldn’t be playing.

“I want to give something back – and surely players want to play against county players. That’s what you play the game for.”

Brown says he plans to play again when he can and if selected – but that will not be on Sunday when Burnley make the short trip across town for the derby at Lowerhouse.

“I am playing for Surrey at Cambridge University this week and travelling next Sunday – so I will be missing the derby.”