Full Name

Rory James Hamilton-Brown

Born

September 03, 1987, Wellington Hospital, London

Age

36y 198d

Nicknames

Razza

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Offbreak

Playing Role

Top order Batter

Height

6ft

Education

Millfield School

It might have been his double-barrelled name, his carefree approach to the game, his prominent cheekbones or the fact that he was handpicked to become - at 22 - Surrey's youngest captain for 138 years but life appeared too easy for Rory Hamilton-Brown. Then, the death of close friend Tom Maynard on a railway line near Wimbledon in June 2012 drew a cloud over his career that he never recovered from. A wrist injury forced him to retire aged just 27.

Following Maynard's death, it was unclear whether Hamilton-Brown would remain in cricket. He sought solace at his first county, Sussex, who he joined on a three-year contract for the 2013 season. Rewards did not come easily in his first two years, leaving him with a sizeable challenge to rediscover a fulfilling and successful career. But a wrist injury in the middle of the 2014 campaign required surgery and Hamilton-Brown was ultimately unable to recover.

A crisp-hitting middle-order batsman and steady offspin bowler Hamilton-Brown was a gifted cricketer who was tipped for international honours by those taken by his cavalier style. He was a controversial choice when Chris Adams, Surrey's coach, recruited him from Sussex to take charge. Faced with a dressing room packed with volatile and sceptical pros his first job was to win support. That he did with a steady first season and in 2011, Hamilton-Brown led Surrey to both the 40-over title and promotion to Division One of the Championship with a strong late-season surge.

That was enough to settle questions about his leadership. The captaincy did, by his own assessment, set his batting back a touch but he remained a positive strokemaker, ever keen to take the aggressive route. He blossomed as a limited-overs opener and was also starting to prosper in the middle-order in four-day cricket before tragic circumstances set him back.

Hamilton-Brown, another product of Millfield School, also played rugby union for Harlequins and England juniors. But cricket is where his pedigree lies. His godfather is Dennis Amiss and Hamilton-Brown has been associated with Surrey throughout his formative years. He made his Second XI debut in 2004 as a 16-year-old, scoring 84 against Sussex. Sensing limited opportunities in a Surrey side that was packed with gnarled seniors, Hamilton-Brown first moved to Sussex in 2008 where he grew under Adams' guidance before rejoining his mentor at Surrey.
ESPNcricinfo staff

Rory Hamilton-Brown Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
FC7312683841171*32.55532172.18818--430
List A83723172011524.921586108.4427--320
T20s93873153687*18.281302117.970415938320

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
FC73-1002624112/53/8556.723.7391.0000
List A83-12661211323/283/2837.845.7339.5000
T20s9344550702374/154/1518.977.6514.8100

Recent Matches of Rory Hamilton-Brown

MatchBatBowlDateGroundFormat
Sussex vs Middlesex17--27-Jun-2014HoveT20
Sussex vs Durham1 & 70/622-Jun-2014Chester-le-StreetFC
Sussex vs Kent12--20-Jun-2014CanterburyT20
Sussex vs Yorkshire45 & 620/916-Jun-2014ArundelFC
Sussex vs Somerset1--15-Jun-2014ArundelT20

Photos of Rory Hamilton-Brown

Rory Hamilton-Brown was one of five wickets for Lewis Gregory
Rory Hamilton-Brown is bowled by Kane Williamson for 20
Rory Hamilton-Brown gets sent on his way
Rory Hamilton-Brown lofts down the ground
Rory Hamilton-Brown was caught behind for a rapid 73
Rory Hamilton-Brown reverse sweeps