Joseph Potter (cricketer)
Joseph Potter, also known as Joe Potter, 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. 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. 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. 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. Potter was described in his Wisden obituary as being a "fair batsman and a useful right-hand medium-paced bowler".
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. He took 78 wickets for Surrey in 1880 at a bowling average of 16 runs a wicket. 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.
Potter coached cricket at Marlborough College and later umpired. He died at Northampton in 1906 aged 67.
