Melbourne Renegades sign Josh Brown on two-year deal

Melbourne Renegades have signed a two year contract with big-hitting Josh Brown. The opening batter played a crucial role in Heat’s triumphant campaign in the 2023-24 season and his loss will hurt the defending champions. 

Brown grabbed headlines when he hit a record-breaking 57-ball 140 in the Challenger against the Adelaide Strikers in which he smashed 12 sixes. He contributed even in the final, registering a quickfire half century against the Sydney Sixers that helped the men in blue clinch their maiden title. His exploits also earned him a contract to play in the Bangladesh T20 League recently. 

Queensland Cricket General Manager- Elite Teams, Performance & Pathways Joe Dawes said that the reigning champions made a very good offer to Brown, which he eventually turned down.  

"We provided Josh and his management with a two-year contract offer that was very lucrative and a significant uplift," he said. "However, we understand the lure of a multi-year commitment for him as a player, even though we believed our offer was very competitive and more than fair.

"Our fans will justifiably be disappointed that he won't be with us going forward, and as a club, we are sad to lose Josh, no doubt. However, he will always have a special place in the club's history, and we are proud that the Heat provided him with an opportunity to showcase his skill and make the most of his talent to benefit he and his family."

Renegades will hope that the new signing will help them fill the void left by Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh with both batters hanging their boots recently. I've enjoyed my time with the Heat, they gave me my opportunity, for which I'll always be grateful and have cherished memories including winning an Australian T20 League Championship last season," Brown said. "But I am extremely excited for a new challenge and hopefully achieve the same success with the Renegades. It's a young group with a lot of talent and firepower, especially in that batting group. I can't wait to partner with the likes of (Jake) Fraser-McGurk and (Will) Sutherland and see what we can do."