Renegades sign Josh Brown on two-year deal

Melbourne Renegades have made a statement signing after agreeing a two-year contract with big-hitting Josh Brown. The signing is a major blow for defending champions Brisbane Heat considering Brown played a major role in securing them the title earlier this year.

Brown made headlines when he smashed a record-breaking 57-ball 140 in the Challenger against Adelaide Strikers in which he hammered 12 sixes. He delivered in the final too, smashing a half-century against Sydney Sixers that helped Heat win the title. His exploits also earned him a contract to play in the Bangladesh Premier League recently.

Queensland Cricket General Manager - Elite Teams, Performance & Pathways Joe Dawes said that Brisbane Heat made a 'very competitive offer' to Brown, which was 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."

The signing will also help Renegades fill the void left by Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh with both batters retiring 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 a BBL 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."