Brown signed a two year contract at Trent Bridge ahead of the 2009 season having parted company with Surrey after a 21-year stint. An explosive opener in one-day cricket, he has played for England in 16 one-day internationals and hit a 160-ball 268 against Glamorgan in 2002. Notts director of cricket Mick Newell was keen to secure the services of a specialist batsman to add depth to a squad that could otherwise be stretched by absent internationals and Brown rewarded this faith with a return of 849 LV= County Championship runs in his debut season. He also enhanced his reputation as a Twenty20 opener with several ice cool opening stands littered with boundaries. During his time at The Oval, Brown scored first-class centuries against every other county.