Description
Kingswood, Bristol born Joseph Brain’s father and brother had established the eponymous brewery, and Brain was educated at Clifton College, where he played cricket with K.J. Key, who would captain Surrey, and at Oriel College, Oxford, where he represented and captained Oxford University at cricket, and also played for Gloucestershire, playing 101 first class matches for both between 1883 and 1889,. A sometime wicket-keeper and a right-handed batsman, he scored 3 centuries and 15 half centuries in the first class game, with a highest score of 143 at an average of 19.50, taking 84 catches and making 4 stumpings.
He also bowled occasionally and took 8 wickets in first class cricket at an average of 38.25 with a best performance of 4-54. He played for Glamorgan in Minor Counties cricket until 1908, where it was said of him “he has been of material use in the development of the game in Glamorganshire”, and also played for the Gentlemen in 1885 and for the M.C.C. in 1901.
His brother William Brain also played for Oxford University and Gloucestershire in the 1890’s, and three nephews or great nephews also played first class cricket.