Joshua Cobb

Personal information
Full name	Joshua James Cobb
Born	(1990-08-17) 17 August 1990 (age 33) Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm off break
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007–2014	Leicestershire
2013	Dhaka Gladiators
2015–2023	Northamptonshire (squad no. 4)
2015	Sylhet Super Stars
2016	Barisal Bulls
2021–2022	Welsh Fire
2023	Comilla Victorians
FC debut	5 September 2007 Leicestershire v Northamptonshire
LA debut	10 August 2008 Leicestershire v Glamorgan
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20 Matches 138 99 198 Runs scored 5,552 3,330 3,991 Batting average 25.94 38.27 23.89 100s/50s 4/32 7/21 1/24 Top score 148* 146* 103 Balls bowled 2,840 1,758 1,820 Wickets 20 35 76 Bowling average 84.35 48.91 31.21 5 wickets in innings 0 0 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 Best bowling 2/11 3/34 5/25 Catches/stumpings 59/– 29/– 94/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 28 September 2023

Joshua James Cobb (born 17 August 1990) is an English cricket player. He is a top order batsmen and occasional off-spinner. He was man of the match in the 2011 and 2016 Twenty20 finals.

Career

Cobb scored a double century for the England Under 19s.^[1] He attended Oakham School as a child, where he was a key member of the first team, averaging over 50 with the bat in his final season.

Cobb made his first team debut in 2007, aged just 17, but gained a regular place in 2008 when he scored 148 not out against Middlesex County Cricket Club at Lord's Cricket Ground,^[2] an innings which made him Leicestershire's youngest ever centurion. He is also an off spin bowler. He came to prominence at the 2011 Friends Life t20 Final against Somerset, where he won the man of the match award after scoring a crucial quick fire 18 and then taking a career best 4–22 to help restrict Somerset to 127–9 giving the Foxes the Cup by a total of 18 runs.

In July 2012, Cobb was named captain of Leicestershire's limited overs side, succeeding Matthew Hoggard.^[3] In 2013 he was named vice-captain to Ramnaresh Sarwan for Leicester's County Championship campaign.

In 2013 Joshua signed for the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament.^[4]

He signed for Northants ahead of the 2015 season,^[5] and played an important part in their progress to the semifinal of the Twenty20 competition, as well as playing in all 16 of their County Championship matches.

The following year his first-class appearances were limited by a knee injury, but he played an important role in winning the Twenty20 title. He scored 80 off just 48 balls, as part of a 120 run fourth wicket partnership with Alex Wakely. For this he won the man of the match award in the final for the second time, the previous being with Leicestershire in 2011.^[6] Shortly before finals day, it was announced that Cobb had signed a three-year contract to continue playing for Northants.^[7]

In 2021, he was bought by the Welsh Fire in The Hundred.^[8] In the 2022 season, he was appointed captain of the team after Jonny Bairstow pulled out of the competition.^[9]

Cobb signed for minor championship county team Norfolk CCC as their professional player for the summer of 2024 with Norfolk Chair Mike Hanby saying, ” ...having met Josh I know he will fit into the side very well and he has been our number one choice since last season ended. We have bided our time and are delighted Josh will be joining us for the next few years. I am sure the Norfolk members and supporters will enjoy watching his explosive batting!”

Personal life

Cobb follows in the footsteps of his father, Russell Cobb, who was also a Leicestershire batsmen (and currently works as Head Coach at Loughborough University).^{[citation needed]}