A Night of Records Shattered by Josh Brown
The Carrara Stadium in Gold Coast witnessed a spectacle on par with a meteor shower, but instead of celestial bodies raining down, it was cricket balls. Josh Brown, the 30-year-old batsman with a bat-making trade, unleashed a record-breaking performance that propelled the Brisbane Heat to a dominant victory over the Adelaide Strikers.
His bat, a conductor of pure power, orchestrated a symphony of sixes. Twelve of them, to be precise, a feat never before achieved in the Big Bash League. It must have felt like the heavens opened up and rained sixes upon the jubilant crowd. This brutal onslaught led the Heat to a mammoth total of 214, a target the Strikers could only manage a meager 160 in response.
“It still feels a bit surreal,” Brown admitted, the adrenaline from his explosive innings still coursing through his veins. “Still pinching myself now that the adrenaline’s winding down, pretty crazy.”
This wasn’t just a great knock; it was etched in the BBL history books. Brown’s 57-ball 140 became the highest score in a BBL finals game and the most sixes in a single innings. He narrowly missed out on equaling Craig Simmons’ record of the fastest century, clocking in at a blistering 41 balls, good enough for second-fastest alongside Glenn Maxwell.
This wasn’t the fairytale beginning for Brown. Just a season ago, he was a bat-maker with a burning desire to play. Sheer talent and mountains of runs in club cricket forced his way into a BBL contract. He was on the verge of shattering Simmons’ record, but the ball wouldn’t cooperate for the final few deliveries, leaving him tied with Maxwell.
Yet, records weren’t the only milestones Brown surpassed that night. His 50 arrived in just 22 balls, a stark contrast to his sluggish 15 off the same number of deliveries just days earlier against the Sixers. It was a testament to his mental fortitude and adaptability.
“One of the better innings I’ve seen, but a bit frustrating to have one player get away like that,” admitted Strikers captain Matt Short, acknowledging the sheer brilliance of Brown’s performance. “Huge credit to him; we threw a fair few things at him and he kept hitting them out of the middle wherever he wanted. Just a freak innings.”
Behind this extraordinary display was a quiet hero: Heat captain Nathan McSweeney. Brown credited his skipper for his success. “He’s seen me at my best, seen me at my worst and told me to just watch and react,” Brown revealed. “Usually I like facing pace, but sometimes don’t make my mind up correctly against spin. But when they came on I was just so clear tonight.”
