Quick Answer
Josh Brown is an aggressive right-handed opener from Brisbane who holds the record for the most sixes in a single Big Bash League innings, 12, hit during an unbeaten 140 off 57 balls against Adelaide Strikers in the BBL|13 Challenger Final. He is a full-time bat maker who only broke into professional cricket at 28, first with Brisbane Heat, where he helped the club win the 2023 24 BBL title, and now with Melbourne Renegades. As an aggressive, boundary-seeking opener, he has not yet played First Class red-ball cricket, and his career remains built almost entirely around the short-form game.
Across all T20 cricket, Brown has scored 1,485 runs from 56 innings at an average of 26.52 and a strike rate above 152, with 122 fours and 108 sixes. This guide breaks down his full biography, his record-breaking innings, and every number from his BBL, List A, and global franchise career.
Full Biography at a Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joshua Brown |
| Born | 26 December 1993, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Age | 32 |
| Batting Style | Right handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm medium, occasional off-break |
| Playing Role | Opening Batter |
| Occupation Outside Cricket | Bat maker at Cooper Cricket, Brisbane |
| BBL Debut | 15 December 2022, Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Renegades |
| Current BBL Team | Melbourne Renegades |
| Former BBL Team | Brisbane Heat (BBL |
How Did Josh Brown Go From Grade Cricket to the Big Bash?
Brown grew up in Brisbane’s northern suburbs and played his early cricket for Northern Suburbs District Cricket Club, building a reputation as one of the biggest hitters in the local grade competition without any state age group pathway behind him. His break came through the inaugural Queensland Premier Cricket T20 Max tournament in 2022, where he smashed two centuries in the space of a week, 147 off 68 balls and 159 off 59 balls, hitting 27 sixes across those two innings alone.
That form was impossible to ignore, and it earned him a replacement contract with Brisbane Heat for BBL|12 at 28, well past the age most players make their Big Bash debut. He opened the batting on debut against Melbourne Renegades in December 2022, then announced himself properly on New Year’s Day 2023, smashing 62 off just 23 balls against Sydney Sixers at the Gabba, using a bat he had made himself.
What Happened During Josh Brown’s Record-Breaking BBL Innings?
Brown’s defining moment came on 22 January 2024, in the BBL|13 Challenger Final against Adelaide Strikers at Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast. Batting with a bat he had handcrafted, he brought up his maiden century off just 41 balls, the equal second-fastest hundred in BBL history, before finishing unbeaten on 140 from 57 balls. Along the way, he hit 12 sixes, a new single-innings record in the competition, surpassing the previous mark of 11 shared by Chris Lynn, Chris Gayle and Craig Simmons.
The innings remains the third-highest individual score in BBL history and the highest total ever scored in a finals match. Brown made up 65 percent of Brisbane Heat’s total that night, the highest individual contribution to a completed innings in the club’s history. Two days later, he backed it up with 53 off 38 balls in the final against Sydney Sixers, helping the Heat win their second BBL title.
Why Did Josh Brown Leave Brisbane Heat for Melbourne Renegades?
Despite his finals heroics, Brown was unable to secure one of Brisbane Heat’s ten permanent domestic list spots before the contracting embargo period began, since the club already had other batting options tied up. That opened the door for Melbourne Renegades to move quickly, signing him on a two-year deal ahead of BBL|14 as a replacement for the retired Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh.
The Renegades had missed the finals in four of the previous five seasons, and general manager James Rosengarten pointed to Brown’s mix of aggression and composure as the reason for the signing. Brown said leaving Brisbane was not an easy decision given the club gave him his first opportunity and a BBL title, but he was drawn to a new challenge and the chance to open alongside young talent like Jake Fraser McGurk at his new club.
What Do Josh Brown’s Career Stats Look Like?
As of the most recent figures available, Brown has not yet played a First-Class match, which keeps his entire senior career centred on white-ball cricket.
Batting Record
| Format | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s / 50s | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic T20 (Total) | 56 | 1,485 | 140 | 26.52 | 152.31 | 1 / 7 | 122 | 108 |
| BBL | 42 | 1,118 | 140 | 26.62 | 150.67 | 1 / 4 | 72 | 75 |
| List A (One Day) | 5 | 69 | 38 | 13.80 | 106.15 | 0 / 0 | 11 | 1 |
| First Class (FC) | – | – | Has not debuted | – | – | – | – | – |
Bowling and Fielding Record
Brown is used almost entirely as a specialist batter, and his bowling numbers reflect that. He can send down occasional right-arm medium-pace or off-break overs, but it is a rarely used option for either of his teams.
| Format | Overs | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Bowling | Catches | Stumpings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic T20 | 2.4 | 0 | – | 18.00 | 0/48 | 15 | 0 |
| List A | 9.3 | 1 | 66.00 | 6.95 | 1/38 | 2 | 0 |
What Is Josh Brown’s BBL Only Record?
Since the Big Bash remains the competition that made his name, his BBL only numbers are worth pulling out separately from his combined domestic T20 total.
| Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s / 50s | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 1,118 | 140 | 26.62 | 150.67 | 1 / 4 | 75 |
His 75 BBL sixes in just 42 matches is one of the best six-hitting rates in the competition’s history for a player with a relatively small sample size, and it is built almost entirely on the back of that one Gold Coast final.
Which Global T20 Leagues Has Josh Brown Played In?
His finals form in early 2024 turned him into a genuine free agent target around the world, and he has since built a well-travelled T20 resume outside Australia.
- Bangladesh Premier League: Played 6 matches for Chattogram Challengers, scoring 133 runs
- Major League Cricket (USA): Appeared in 2 matches for Seattle Orcas
- Global T20 Canada: Brief stint with Brampton Wolves
- Nepal Premier Cricket: Appearances for Sudurpaschim Royals
- European T20 Cricket: Featured for Ghent Gladiators
- IPL and PSL: He has not played in either the Indian Premier League or the Pakistan Super League
What Records and Honours Does Josh Brown Hold?
- Holds the record for the most sixes in a single men’s BBL innings, 12, against Adelaide Strikers in the BBL|13 Challenger Final
- Third-highest individual score in BBL history, 140 not out from 57 balls
- Highest individual score ever recorded in a BBL finals match
- Equal second-fastest century in BBL history, reaching 100 off 41 balls
- BBL champion with Brisbane Heat in the 2023 24 season
- Signed as a replacement for BBL greats Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh at Melbourne Renegades
- Designed and used his own self-made bat, nicknamed the Bison, during his record-breaking innings
FAQs
Who is Josh Brown in cricket?
Josh Brown is an Australian opening batter from Brisbane who holds the BBL record for most sixes in an innings and now plays for Melbourne Renegades after two title-winning seasons with Brisbane Heat.
What is Josh Brown’s BBL sixes record?
He hit 12 sixes in a single innings against Adelaide Strikers in the BBL|13 Challenger Final, the most ever in a men’s Big Bash match.
Why did Josh Brown leave Brisbane Heat?
He was unable to secure one of the club’s permanent domestic list spots before the contracting embargo, and Melbourne Renegades moved quickly to sign him as a replacement for the retired Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh.
Has Josh Brown played First Class cricket?
No. Despite being a full-time professional cricketer, he has not yet played a First Class red-ball match, with his career built entirely around T20 and List A cricket.
Has Josh Brown played in the IPL or PSL?
No. He has not featured in the Indian Premier League or the Pakistan Super League, though he has played in the Bangladesh Premier League, Major League Cricket, Global T20 Canada, and European T20 cricket.
What does Josh Brown do outside cricket?
He is a professional bat maker at Cooper Cricket in Brisbane, and he used a bat he built himself, nicknamed the Bison, during his record-breaking BBL innings.
Did Josh Brown win a BBL title?
Yes. He won the 2023 24 BBL title with Brisbane Heat, top-scoring in the final with 53 off 38 balls against Sydney Sixers after his record-breaking 140 in the Challenger.
This coverage is brought to you by CRIC INFO 365 — built to give cricket fans fast, reliable live scorecards, match reports, and analysis for every Test, ODI, and T20 as it happens.
