Jason Brown Photo © AllSport Jason Brown explains to Kate Laven how his debut for England A has gone so far and looks ahead to the next phase of his winter with England in Sri Lanka

England A's Jason Brown took three wickets in the match against West Indies B at Grenada today confirming selectors belief in him as a player who can turn both a ball and a match.

The Northamptonshire spinner took 3-58 in 22 overs, bowled in just two spells despite the 80 degree heat and it was only as the shadows were lengthening in the last few overs of play at the Grenada National Stadium in Queens Park that batsmen started to gain the upper hand having been under his spell for the best part of two sessions.

Brown's bowling action is unfussy but effective, his great assets being accuracy and variation. Rarely does he bowl a rotten ball and his introduction to England cricket at A level with elevation to the full squad set for January 28th when he leaves the Caribbean to fly out to Sri Lanka was a promising one.

"I enjoyed today and thought it went well," he said at the end of the play.

"The wicket did not spin as much as I thought it would but I kept my line and length right and managed to pick up some wickets. I was getting tired towards the end of my second spell – I can always tell when I am getting tired because I tend to push the ball down leg side a little bit as I fall away but I do like to bowl.

"If the captain has got faith in me, I will bowl as much as I can. I jusy enjoy having the ball in my hand, even if I am getting hit for four or six, it is just a pleasure to be bowling. I like the challenge of bowling at different people, trying to work them out so I get a buzz out of having a bowl."

"At the end of I was trying too much to take wickets. Trying quicker balls or flighted ones and I wasn't bowling them properly. I should just have bowled straight and put pressure on the batsmen. Sometimes I think I try too hard."

By the close of play, West Indies B had progressed to 176 for six, still some 157 runs behind England's first innings total of 333. Their recovery from 95 for five was due in the main to an impressive innings from the young Tonito Willett, a 17 year-old from Nevis who combines nimble footwork with an ability to work the ball through the gaps.

He made 41 before he was finally despatched by Usman Afzaal, the Nottinghamshire left arm spinner, with the help of a steady catch in the slips by Vikram Solanki and his dismissal brought to an end a sixth wicket partnership with Camilus Alexander that effectively guaranteed the game will go the full four day distance.

The stand was worth 57 when Willett went but Alexander, batting with a cool head and strong grip, stayed to the end finishing the day unbeaten on 32, his partner Kenroy Peters not out 17.

Such a show of resilience by the West Indian youngsters may well have caught England unawares. They knew the bowling would be up to scratch on day one but there was a question mark over the sturdiness of their batting line up and Willett proved the scepticism to be slightly unwarranted.

Earlier, England's tailenders added 84 to the overnight total of 249 but when Richie Richardson came onto bowl and immediately accounted for the final batsman Jason Brown, it left Aftab Habib stranded on an unbeaten 87, having played with admirable patience throughout the best part of five hours to improve England's chances of winning vital first innings bonus points.

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