Shropshire batter joins the first-class ranks

Joe Johnson helped Shropshire to victory over Wales in his most recent county game.

Shropshire batter Joe Johnson has become the latest National Counties player to join the first-class ranks.

placeholder image — Shropshire batter Joe Johnson | Shropshire CCC

Johnson has been signed by Sussex for the remainder of their Metro Bank Cup campaign and has been included in their squad for today’s match against Essex at Arundel.

Johnson, 21, will join Sussex having made a second innings half-century to help Shropshire to a six wickets victory over Wales NC in the NCCA Championship at Bridgnorth on Tuesday, having joined them from Bedfordshire this season.

The Loughborough University centre of excellence batter made his National Counties debut for Bedfordshire last year and became the first player to score a double century and a century in the same Championship match against Hertfordshire at Hertford.

Johnson has played for Sussex’s Second XI this season and also appeared for them against Oxfordshire in a Showcase fixture at Magdalen College School earlier this month.

The Shifnal batter becomes the eighth present or past Shropshire player on the staff of one of the 18 first-class counties joining Joe Clarke and Dylan Pennington (Nottinghamshire), Ed Barnard and Theo Wylie (Warwickshire), Jack Home and Harry Darley (Worcestershire) and Ben Sanderson (Northamptonshire).

Johnson also follows Berkshire batter Johnny Connell (Somerset), Dorset wicketkeeper/batter Joe Eckland (Gloucestershire), Cambridgeshire leg-spinner Mo Rizvi (Leicestershire) and Staffordshire seamer Jake Garlick (Warwickshire) in signing professional contracts with first-class counties for this season’s Metro Bank Cup.