Joseph Miller (cricketer) facts for kids

Joseph Miller (who passed away in October 1784) was a famous English cricket player. Many people believe he was one of the best batsmen of the 1700s. He played mostly for Kent. He also played for teams like All-England and Surrey.

Miller's first recorded game was in the 1769 season. From then until 1783, he played in 65 known matches. This included some "single wicket" games. He was definitely an amazing batsman. Some even say he was second only to John Small in the 18th century.

Joseph Miller's Cricket Journey

We know more about Joseph Miller's career from 1772 onwards. This is when cricket scores started to be recorded regularly. His first clear mention was in June 1772. This was a "fives" single wicket match. It was between Kent and Hampshire at the Artillery Ground.

Miller played in all three big matches recorded in the 1772 season. In one game, he played for All-England against Hampshire. This match was at Guildford Bason. He scored the most runs for his team in both parts of the game. He made 30 runs out of 126 and then 26 runs out of only 86.

Top Scores and Key Matches

In 1773, Miller scored 316 runs in seven known important matches. His best score was 73 runs. This was for All-England against Hampshire at Sevenoaks Vine. He scored 73 out of 177 total runs for his team.

Later in August 1773, Kent played Surrey at Sevenoaks Vine. Miller scored 42 runs in the first part of the game. He then scored an unbeaten 32 runs in the second part. In September 1773, Miller played for Surrey against Hampshire at Laleham Burway. He played as a given man, which meant he was a player from another team helping out.

Miller's Record-Breaking Performance

Joseph Miller's most famous game was in August 1774. He played for Kent against Hampshire at Sevenoaks Vine. He scored an amazing 95 runs out of 240. This helped Kent win the match easily. A week later, in a return match, Miller scored 40 and 45 runs. Kent won that game too.

Miller's score of 95 was the highest individual score recorded in first-class cricket for a short time. He beat the previous record of 88 runs. This record was held by William Yalden in 1773. Miller's "world record" only lasted one year. Then, John Small made the first known first-class century.

Later Career and Final Games

Miller had a less successful year in 1775. He scored low in many games. However, he did play two great innings. He scored 71 runs for Kent against Hampshire. He also scored 42 runs for Surrey against Hampshire. He didn't play as well in 1776. But he got back in form in 1777. That year, he scored 311 runs in six known games. This included scores of 65, 64, and 51. These were all for All-England against Hampshire. In 1778, he made some useful scores. His best was 59 for Surrey against Hampshire.

Miller scored only one more half-century. This was exactly 50 runs. It was for All-England against Hampshire in September 1780. This game was at Itchin Stoke Down. We don't know when Miller was born. But since he started playing in the 1760s, he was older by the 1780s. His scores were not as high as they used to be.

By 1782, Miller played a smaller role in games. He played three known matches in 1783, which was his last season. His final known game was Kent against Hampshire in August. This match was at Bourne Paddock. Hampshire won that game. Miller batted last and scored only 2 and 9 runs.

What Was Joseph Miller Like?

Arthur Haygarth wrote about Miller's life. He shared comments from John Nyren, another famous cricket writer. Nyren said Miller had a beautiful batting style. He was as "firm and steady as the Pyramids." This means he was very reliable and strong.

Nyren also said Miller was a man "to be depended on and very active." He was also described as "a kind-hearted and amiable man." This means he was friendly and nice.

Nyren mentioned that Miller and John Minshull were the only two batsmen in the 1770s that the Hambledon team feared. He also said Miller was good at hitting the ball with the edge of his bat. Nyren added that Miller was very active, even though he was a strong man.

We don't know much about Miller's personal life. It seems he worked as a gamekeeper. He was employed by the Duke of Dorset at Knole House. This house was near Sevenoaks. Later, he lived with Sir Horatio Mann at Bourne. He probably had the same job there. Joseph Miller was buried at Bridge, Kent on October 31, 1784. This was only a year after his last recorded cricket match.