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Ian Johnson (cricketer)

Ian Johnson
Johnsonwithhat.jpg
Personal information
Full name Ian William Geddes Johnson
Born (1917-12-08)8 December 1917
North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died 9 October 1998(1998-10-09) (aged 80)
Albert Park, Victoria, Australia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Batting style Right-hand
Bowling style Right-arm off-spin
Role Specialist bowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 164) 29 March 1946 v New Zealand
Last Test 2 November 1956 v India
Domestic team information
Years Team
1935–56 Victoria
Career statistics
Competition Tests FC
Matches 45 189
Runs scored 1000 4905
Batting average 18.51 22.92
100s/50s 0/6 2/21
Top score 77 132*
Balls bowled 8780 35968
Wickets 109 619
Bowling average 29.19 22.92
5 wickets in innings 3 27
10 wickets in match 0 4
Best bowling 7/44 7/42
Catches/stumpings 30/0 137/0
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 26 February 2008

Ian William Geddes Johnson CBE (8 December 1917 – 9 October 1998) was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of 22.92 runs per dismissal. He captained the Australian team in 17 Tests, winning seven and losing five, with a further five drawn. Despite this record, he is better known as the captain who lost consecutive Ashes series against England. Urbane, well-spoken and popular with his opponents and the public, he was seen by his team mates as a disciplinarian and his natural optimism was often seen as naive.

Aged 17, Johnson made his first-class cricket debut for Victoria in the 1935–36 season but did not establish a permanent place in the team until 1939–40. His career was interrupted by the Second World War; he served with the Royal Australian Air Force as a pilot and later as a flight instructor. He returned to cricket after his discharge and was selected to tour New Zealand with the Australian team, making his Test debut. Johnson was part of Don Bradman's Invincibles team; undefeated on tour in England in 1948. He was a regular member of the national side until poor form saw him left out of the Australian squad for the 1953 tour of England.


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