Cox Joe Image 1 Natal 1912

Description

Pietermaritzburg, Natal born Joe Cox was a fast-medium bowler and a tail-end batsman. Playing for Natal throughout, his first class career spanned the years either side of the First World War from 1911 to 1922, but it was his first season in 1910-11 that was his most successful. In his very first match, played at Durban against Orange Free State, he scored 51 batting at number 10, Natal’s second highest score of the innings and a total that Cox was never subsequently to surpass. In his second match, against Western Province, he took 7-42 in the second innings, and a few days later he took 8-20 against Transvaal, seven of the opposition being bowled. In all six matches that season, he took 36 wickets for 402 runs (average 11.16) and helped Natal to their first Currie Cup, the South African domestic cricket Championship.

He was described thus at the time: “Tall and using his height to the full, he delivers the ball with an easy action. In the air his flight is that of a medium pace bowler, but he comes quickly off the pitch. He has a natural off break, but his length is not a strong point.”

He was selected for the tour of England in 1912 but from 37 matches, he only played in 14 (none of them Test matches) and when he did play he was under-used as a bowler and took only 14 wickets. When England came to South Africa in 1913-14 under the captaincy of J.W.H.T. Douglas, Cox played in three of the five Tests without distinction, scoring 17 runs and taking 4 wickets with a best of 2-74.

In his 42 first class matches, he averaged 8.30 with the bat and took 120 wickets at 22.53, with 4 five wicket innings and a single ten wicket match. He also took 14 catches.

He was the brother-in-law of Len Tuckett and the uncle of Lindsay Tuckett, both of whom played Test cricket for South Africa.