PROFILE

Having made 63 on his Pro40 debut against Essex at Headingley towards the end of the 2009 season, Joe continued his development mainly in the Second XI in 2010 and recovered some of his best form after a shaky start. He was the star of the pre-season tour to Barbados and, after being picked for the first LV= County Championship fixture against Worcestershire at New Road, never looked back. 937 first-class runs at 36.03 with a career best 160 against Sussex at Scarborough has constituted an excellent first full season and given the Yorkshire public a taste of what could be a long illustrious Yorkshire career.

His form interested the England selectors and 66 for the England Lions at Scarborough against Sri Lanka A and a winter spent touring with the Lions has done nothing to diminish his burdgeoning reputation.

He also played six CB40 matches in 2011 and scored 172 runs at 34.40 with a best score of 62 and, in 9 FPt20 matches, hit 106 runs at 21.20. He was elevated to the England Lions side for a three-day game against Sri Lanka A at Scarborough and made 66 to give the headline writers the perfect platform. His off-spin bowling yielded 10 wickets across all formats and provides the side with an ever improving weapon.

In 2010 Joe played in the first-class friendlies against India A and Loughborough UCCE making 38 runs in his three innings. In the 2nd XI Championship he scored 514 runs at 51.40 with a best of 169, but was less prolific in the one-day Trophy matches where his 135 runs came at 19.28 per innings.

His bowling continues to give him another string to his bow and comparisons with Michael Vaughan continue to be made.

In 2008 his 464 runs in four Second XI Championship matches brought him an average of 116 with a top score of 163 not out against Leicestershire at Oakham when he added a record 358 for the fourth wicket with Jonathan Bairstow. In addition he piled up 760 league runs for the Yorkshire Academy.

Joe played for Yorkshire Schools' sides since he was 11, and in his first season averaged over 50, going on to score almost 2,000 runs at an average of over 50. He was team captain for three years and at 13 he became the youngest player to be awarded a Yorkshire Scholarship. 

JAMES BUTTLER
January 2012