Boundary-crusher Josh Brown has never had even a wink of interest from a rich overseas T20 outfit yet that is set to change because of the record-setting six hitting display which put the batmaker from Brisbane and his team within reach of a Big Bash title.
Brown may be a late bloomer at 30 for the Brisbane Heat yet there is never an expiry date on explosive knocks that win big finals when a franchise is in glory-or-bust mode.
The burly opener’s savage 57-ball assault on the Adelaide Strikers on the Gold Coast on Monday night was the highest knock in any finals clash in BBL history with the most sixes (12) in any innings.
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He’s hopeful of a least one cash windfall with sales of the bats he makes for Cooper Cricket going “berserk” after he smashed a 23-ball 62 in just his second BBL game and his six-hitting record on the Gold Coast could have a similar result.
But overseas contracts remain the aspiration for most Big Bash breakthrough players and wildcards can be introduced to the International League T20 tournament in the United Arab Emirates being played at any stage.
The season in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai is just under way with players like David Warner and recent Heat teammate Colin Munro involved.
Jake Fraser-McGurk got a late call-up after his breakthrough Big Bash season, which also earned an Australian call-up, and Brown could be next.
“Absolutely, I’d be interested. If the opportunity came up I’d take it with both hands. I’ve just got to keep scoring runs,” Brown said with the euphoria still fresh after his century heroics.
“I’m still pinching myself. I couldn’t get the smile off my face when I reached that hundred. Pretty crazy really.”
One of the biggest ticks to his mighty 140 was scoring it away from the true bounce of the Gabba on a pitch with two-paced tendencies.
Wednesday night’s BBL final against the Sydney Sixers will test him on a different lower and slower deck when the pain of last season’s losing final against the Perth Scorchers will be a major motivator.
“Losing in Perth really hurt us as a group. We learnt a lot, have grown a lot and it’s made us tighter than ever as a team,” Brown said.
Strikers captain Matt Short bowled an opening over of off-spin against Brown on the Gold Coast to supposedly expose a weakness against slower bowling. None existed when leggies Cameron Boyce and Lloyd Pope were being pulverised over the boundary for six yet Brown expects the same tactic from the Sixers.
“I’d be more surprised if they opened with pace. (Left-arm spinner) Steve O’Keefe is still crafty in his old age. He changes his pace and arm angles. He’s got me out a few times so hopefully I get on top of him before he does,” Brown said with a smile.
Brown credited classy batting partner Nathan McSweeney, a clubmate at Norths in Brisbane, for giving him a more decisive method against the spinners during their 119-run stand.
“Sometimes I don’t make up my mind against spin. He’s seen me bat at my best and my worst and he just said ‘watch and react’,” Brown said.
Bat sales of Brown’s Bison bat, which he handcrafts personally as a batmaker at Cooper Cricket, should explode again if the spin-off to his 62 a year ago is anything to go by.
“Usually, I’m the one shaping them so I use exactly the same English willow as I do for my bats. It was wild after that knock last year. I made about 90-100 bats last year, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens now,” Brown said.
Short saluted “a freak innings against everything we threw at him” but he’s tipping a Sixers win in the final.
“The Sixers play their home ground well. They have a couple of class spinners and explosive batters,” Short said.
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