PAT Brown makes his competitive England debut in Friday’s T20I international with New Zealand in Christchurch.

It is a proud day for the Worcestershire paceman who earned his opportunity after playing in the two warm-up matches against a New Zealand XI in Lincoln.

He took 1-39 with three catches dropped in the opening game and returned 0-31 in the second encounter.

Now he plays his part as the five-match T20I series gets under way at the Hagley Oval.

It follows two successful years for Worcestershire Rapids in the Vitality Blast and impressive performances during both finals days at Edgbaston.

Brown showed character after being close to tears following his bowling of the final over in Rapids' narrow defeat to Kent in the 2018 Royal London One-Day Cup semi-final.

He learnt from the experience and responded with 31 wickets in the Blast that summer which was the most by a Worcestershire bowler in the T20 competition.

This year he again was Rapids' leading wicket-taker with 17 and in addition to his England call-up has also been selected to play in the T10 League in Abu Dhabi from November 15 until 24.

Brown is also heading to Australia in December to play in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Stars for the final eight group games.

The remaining T20 internationals are on the next two Sundays, Tuesday and Friday.