Isaac Johnson, a lace manufacturer, was a noted slow under-arm bowler, using a similar method to William Clarke.
He was a well-known figure in local cricket for many years and as the Nottingham Review noted in 1863, ‘There are none more deserving than the veteran of the (Commercial) Club, Isaac Johnson, who by his excellent play in the field as a batsman and bowler and not least by his urbanity, courtesy and geniality among his comrades, has won high and hearty esteem.’ This was in a report on the presentation of a commemorative bat to Johnson by the players of Eastwood and Nottingham Commercial in recognition of his 'general love of cricket'.
He was President of Lace CC as well as Chairman of the Commercial Club. He died in Plumptre Street, Nottingham on 5 October 1874; he was born in Radford on 12 May 1808.
He was a contemporary of John Johnson, which has led to some uncertainty about each player's records; the initials I and J being easily mistaken it is not always possible to determine which Johnson appeared in which Nottingham match. Two First-Class games in which he can be identified were v Kent in June 1840 and v MMC at Lord's in 1843. In the first Johnson made 2 and 4no, the latter as opener as Notts won by 10 wickets, in the MCC game, he made 0 and 0no in a 57-run loss. There may well be a third 'Johnson' appearing for Notts in the same era so all records should be regarded as provisional.
Johnson is also recorded in half-a-dozen matches that were not First-Class. Playing for Nottingham Commercial against Yorkshire in 1851 he took three wickets and v Leicester for Notts Amateurs in 1845, made his best recorded score of 18, run out. In his last important game, he was one of the XXII of Wakefield to face the All England Eleven in July 1864 - he signed out with a 'pair'. He was a regular member of the Nottingham Commercial side, playing into his fifties and in 1869 he apparently appeared v Wirksworth but 'had William McIntyre to run for him'.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 43
See Isaac Johnson's career stats here