Bowden Joseph Image 1 Derbyshire 1921

Description

Glossop, Derbyshire born right-hand batsman Joseph Bowden first played for Derbyshire against Sussex in May 1909 when he made 6 and 14. Over the next four years he played about five games a year, but in the 1914 season he played 16 matches for the club before County cricket was interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. Bowden did not return to the first class game until the 1921 season, when he scored his first century, making 108 against Gloucestershire.

He played steadily in the 1922 season and in the 1923 season scored 114 against Somerset. After good but uneventful seasons in 1924 and 1925, Bowden managed an average of 30.52 in the 1926 season, clocking up 1,221 runs and making 106 against Warwickshire. He maintained form over the next three years and made his career highest score of 120 against Essex at Derby in June 1929 when he partnered Harry Storer, who made 209, to put on 322 for the first wicket, Bowden making 94 in the stand and going on to his career best 120. This remained the record opening stand for Derbyshire until 2017. In the 1930 season, which was his last, he played fewer matches and his average was down to 9.69.

Bowden played 395 innings in 231 first class matches, scoring 7,613 runs with an average of 20.57, scoring four centuries and 29 half centuries. He was an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler who took one wicket in 21 overs at an average of 54.00, also taking 79 catches in first class cricket.

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