Remember the name. Though it might be hard because he doesn’t have one on the back of his jersey.
In just his second Big Bash League match, Josh Brown erupted with a staggering, big-hitting 62 in just 23 balls against the Sydney Sixers on New Year’s Day.
“An innings we’ll remember for a long, long time,” Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard gushed after he was caught off the bowling of Sean Abbott by Ben Dwarshuis.
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Reaching a half-century in just 19 balls, it was the fifth-fastest 50 in Brisbane Heat history, the record held by Tom Banton’s 16-ball explosion in 2020.
“I sorta didn’t know I was any good at cricket until I was about 24. And then it all sort of kicked off from there,” Brown said on Fox Cricket.
“Went from playing third grade to second level cricket in the space of 18 months – it all happened very quickly.”
Brown, 29, made his Big Bash debut earlier this season against the Renegades but was unable to earn a second outing until the year-opening clash at the Gabba.
Heading out as an opener alongside international Colin Munro, the difference between the pair was apparent on the kits themselves – Brown’s name wasn’t even printed on his.
But when he walked off the ground with six sixes and four fours to his name, hitting at a strikerate of 269.57, suddenly everyone in attendance knew who he was.
Adding to the immediate folklore is the fact Brown makes his own cricket bats, under the brand Cooper Cricket.
“That’s my full-time job outside of cricket, I make my own bats and it’s pretty fun,” he explained.
“I do most of the repairs for the boys.”
Knowing his bat better than most, he wasn’t even that impressed with his first maximum after it came off the top of it – with Brown telling his batting partner Nathan McSweeney: “I didn’t get that”.
If he didn’t quite catch that clearly, he sent the second maximum of the over into the corporate ticket-holders in the second tier of the Gabba.
Adam Gilchrist roared: “Go on son – that’s launched. Great statement!”
“What a beautiful looking swing,” he added.
Brown smashed a third six to take himself to 28* off 11 by the time the power play was done, with the Heat 1-47 off the first four overs.
Howard laughed: “He is what we like to call a bums-on-seats-operator!”
And Gilchrist agreed: “Don’t look away!”
Brown soon smashed another six into the top level of the stands.
“Just found a new favourite player,” Gilchrist declared. “I love him!”
Brown’s exit left the Heat in a strong position of 2-85 off 6.3 overs as they attempted to move off the bottom of the BBL table.
– with Zac Rayson
