Joseph Potter (cricketer)

Joseph Potter (13 January 1839 – 2 June 1906), also known as Joe Potter,[1] was an English professional cricketer who played between the 1860 and 1890. He played most of his first-class cricket for Surrey County Cricket Club but also represented a variety of other teams.

Potter was born at Northampton in 1839.[2] By trade he was an iron worker, but he was employed as a professional at Northampton Cricket Club between 1860 and 1865 before moving to New Brompton in Chatham, Kent.[3][4] He ran the Cricketers Inn in New Brompton and was employed in Clapham by the officers of the Royal Engineers Cricket Club, again as a professional.[3] During 1871 he played twice in first-class matches for Kent County Cricket Club, the team having a strong link with the RE who had bases at Chatham and Woolwich in the county.[5] Potter was described in his Wisden obituary as being a "fair batsman and a useful right-hand medium-paced bowler".[6]

During 1873 Potter moved to Prince's Cricket Ground in London before he was employed at The Oval, playing 35 first-class matches for Surrey between 1875 and 1881.[3][5] He took 78 wickets for Surrey in 1880 at a bowling average of 16 runs a wicket.[6] He also played one first-class match for the South and played non-first-class cricket for Northampton until 1880, for Northamptonshire between 1869 and 1888 and Wiltshire between 1882 and 1888.[1][4][5][6]

Potter coached cricket at Marlborough College and later umpired.[3][6] He died at Northampton in 1906 aged 67.[2]