Remember the name. Although it might be difficult because he doesn’t have any on the back of his shirt.
In just his second Big Bash League match, Josh Brown exploded with a stunning and massive 62 off 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 said after Ben Dwarshuis caught him off the bowling of Sean Abbott.
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Reaching his 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 blast in 2020.
“I didn’t know I was good at cricket until I was 24. And then it all started from there,” Brown told Fox Cricket.
“He went from playing third grade cricket to second level 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 failed to earn a second start until the year’s opening clash at the Gabba.
Starting out alongside international Colin Munro, the difference between the pair was evident in the kits themselves – Brown’s name wasn’t even printed on his.
Josh Brown went out without a name on his shirt and returned after making a name for himself in the Big Bash. Source: FOX SPORTS
But when he came off the floor with six sixes and four fours to his name, hitting a knock of 269.57, suddenly everyone in attendance knew who he was.
Adding to the immediate folklore is the fact that Brown makes his own cricket bats, under the Cooper Cricket brand.
“This is my full-time job outside of cricket, I make my own bats and it’s quite 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, with Brown telling fellow batsman Nathan McSweeney: “I didn’t get it.”
If he didn’t get it straight, he sent the second maximum of the over to the second tier corporate ticket holders at the Gabba.
Adam Gilchrist roared: “Come on son, that’s launched. Big statement!”
“What a beautiful swing,” he added.
Brown smashed a third six to take himself to 28* for 11 when the power play ended, with the Heat 1-47 from the first four overs.
Howard laughed, “He’s what we like to call a bum operator in the seats!”
And Gilchrist agreed: “Don’t look away!”
Brown soon smashed another six into the upper tier of the stands.
“I just found a new favorite player,” Gilchrist declared. “I love him!”
Brown’s departure left the Heat in a strong position of 2-85 from 6.3 overs as they tried to climb off the bottom of the BBL table.
– with Zac Rayson