Joseph Johnson (cricketer)
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Joseph Johnson is a first class cricketer who played 3 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1936 and 1939. He also played for Yorkshire Second XI in 1938.
A slow left arm orthodox bowler, his career was stymied by the presence of the great Hedley Verity in the Yorkshire side and he found himself well behind in the pecking order when Verity was away on test duty. After two matches, against Gloucestershire CCC in 1936 and Nottinghamshire CCC in 1938, in which he was given little opportunity to bowl, he did have his day in a remarkable final appearance against Leicestershire CCC in 1939. After not bowling in the first innings at Aylestone Road, Leicester, he was finally thrown the ball as fifth change and proceeded to take 5 wickets for 16 runs in 11.2 overs to bowl the home team out for 103 and win the game for Yorkshire, despite the loss of the whole of the second day to rain. Such a performance may have seen his county career blossom but the onset of war ended him any chance of further appearances.
He was less successful as a right handed tail end batsman, scoring just 5 runs in 3 innings, although two of these were not out. He took one catch.
He was born on May 16, 1916 in South Kirkby, Yorkshire.
