Hampshire have signed batsman Michael Brown from Middlesex - a former school colleague of James Beattie.

Brown, 23, has signed a two year contract after requesting to leave Middlesex, for whom he made his first class debut in 1999.

The Burnley-born right hander was two years below Beattie at Blackburn's Queen Elizabeth's Grammar school and will be hoping that his move to the county will do for his cricket career what Beattie's move to Saints has done for the striker's football career.

Hampshire manager Paul Terry said: "I've heard some very good things about Michael.

"He's pretty ambitious and I've had several very good recommendations, Middlesex wanted to keep him but he wants to play and he wasn't getting the opportunity to play for them.

"He's a top order batsman, which is an area we've been looking to strengthen and has played district cricket over in Perth and done very well.

"He's come over to Australia on his own steam and done well and that's quite an unusual for a young guy."

Brown has only played 12 first class matches in four years, scoring 494 runs at an average of 30.87.

Last season he fell just short of his maiden first class century, making a career best 98 against Zimbabwe in May, but he did not play a single game in the championship.

He said: "I'm delighted to be given an opportunity at Hampshire. I'm very impressed with the club and am looking forward to the challenge."

Durham UCCE graduate Brown played university cricket with James Bruce and has played club cricket in Perth against the likes of Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Brown is Hampshire's second close season signing after the recruitment of Southampton-born seamer Billy Taylor from Sussex last month.