WATCHING James Anderson become England’s leading wicket taker, David Brown could not have been anywhere else but where it all began.

A celebratory pint in hand at Burnley Cricket Club, his friend and former Turf Moor team-mate punched the air as Anderson reached 384 and surpassed Sir Ian Botham against the West Indies.

Full of pride, Brown could not help but cast his mind back to the past.

“A lot of us of that generation grew up here, every weekend, even in the winter, playing football and cricket on the outfield,” he recalled.

“We spent the vast part of our childhood here and literally grew up together through the sides. When he was 15 or 16, he got a bit of recognition from Lancashire. He shot up, started bowling speed and line in the nets, and the rest is history!”

Maybe so. But Brown, who himself played county cricket for Gloucestershire and Glamorgan, believes Anderson is having an impact on Burnley’s future, with Cole Hayman tipped as the next big thing.

The 20-year-old signed scholarship terms with Lancashire last year and took 4-40 for league leaders Burnley against Enfield recently.

“Cole has a similar X-factor, I genuinely think he could be a superstar,” said Brown, who joined the rest of his current Burnley team-mates in adding their signatures to a giant flag that has toured the country and will be presented to Anderson by Slazenger.

“He’s got the same raw talent and competitive instinct as Jimmy, and somebody that can bowl 90mph, you don’t get many lads who do that.

“It’s fair to say I don’t know if he could take 384 Test wickets, but I think he could have a proper career in the game with the right nurturing.”

Brown says it is testament to Burnley’s continual focus on youth development that others could follow in the footsteps of Anderson in playing for the Red Rose and England.

“A lot of money used to go on big-name pros, but youth is the future of the club,” said the 32-year-old, a veteran of the early Lancashire League leaders’ young side.

Unbeaten Burnley sit top of the Lancashire League ahead of this weekend’s league and Worsley Cup double header at home to East Lancs today and at Haslingden tomorrow.

Brown feels Anderson’s achievements can only help the club and the Lancashire League.

“The league was quite well known anyway,” he said. “In recent history Jimmy has put it on the map a little bit.

“It’s brilliant for the local towns that you’ve got an icon that can show us what can be achieved for these kids.”