Josh de Caires

Josh de Caires
Personal information
Full name
Joshua Michael de Caires
Born (2002-04-25) 25 April 2002 (age 22)
Paddington, London, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleBatsman
RelationsMichael Atherton (father)
David de Caires (grandfather)
Frank De Caires (great-grandfather)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2021–presentMiddlesex (squad no. 25)
FC debut5 July 2021 Middlesex v Gloucestershire
LA debut3 August 2021 Middlesex v Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 21 16 20
Runs scored 770 171 169
Batting average 24.83 13.15 13.00
100s/50s 0/4 0/0 0/0
Top score 80 43 31*
Balls bowled 2,408 492 224
Wickets 34 11 12
Bowling average 40.79 39.27 29.91
5 wickets in innings 2 0 0
10 wickets in match 1 0 0
Best bowling 8/106 3/52 2/34
Catches/stumpings 7/– 11/– 8/–
Source: Cricinfo, 29 September 2024

Joshua Michael de Caires (born 25 April 2002) is an English cricketer,[1][2] and the son of former England cricket captain Michael Atherton. He made his first-class debut on 5 July 2021, for Middlesex in the 2021 County Championship.

Personal life

De Caires is from Paddington, Middlesex, England.[2] He is the son of former England cricketer Michael Atherton,[3][4] and the great-grandson of former West Indian cricketer Frank de Caires.[5] De Caires says that he has rarely seen his father batting, as he was born eight months after Atherton's last Test match.[3] He was given his mother's maiden name,[3][4] but does not know why.[3] De Caires attended St Albans School, Hertfordshire,[6] where he was coached by former England cricketer Mark Ilott,[7] and is a student of economics at the University of Leeds.[8]

Career

De Caires is a batsman,[9] who often opens the batting.[10] He started playing for Middlesex CCC under-14s in 2015. On debut, he scored 90*.[5][11] In 2017, De Caires made his debut for Middlesex Second XI, at the age of 15.[4][5] In 2019, he hit a century in a Second XI Championship match against Hampshire.[9]

In 2020, De Caires played for Middlesex in a two-day pre-season friendly against Northamptonshire CCC.[11] In August 2020, De Caires signed a three-year professional contract with Middlesex.[11] In club cricket, De Caires played for Radlett Cricket Club in the 2020 Hertfordshire Cricket League season. He was the league's second-highest wicket taker.[12] In 2021, De Caires played for Leeds/Bradford MCCU in a match against Yorkshire CCC. He scored 118 from 292 deliveries to help Leeds/Bradford secure a draw in the match.[4][13] The match did not have first-class status, as university matches no longer qualify for first-class status.[4] The Yorkshire bowling attack included England bowler David Willey.[4] He also played for Tickhill Cricket Club in 2021.[14]

De Caires made his first-class debut on 5 July 2021, for Middlesex in the 2021 County Championship.[15] On 9 July 2021, he made his Twenty20 debut, also for Middlesex, in the 2021 T20 Blast.[16] He made his List A debut on 3 August 2021, for Middlesex in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.[17]

In 2022, De Caires scored a half-century for Leeds/Bradford MCCU in a match against Yorkshire.[18] In Middlesex's first match of the 2022 County Championship, he scored his maiden first-class half-century.[19]

In the 2023 County Championship match against Hampshire, De Caires took career best figures of 7-144. Later in the season, he took 8-106 in a match against Essex.[20]

References

  1. ^ "Josh de Caires". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Josh de Caires". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Josh de Caires: Michael Atherton's son on following in his father's footsteps". BBC Sport. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Josh de Caires, son of Mike Atherton, thwarts Yorkshire with century for Leeds/Bradford MCCU". ESPNcricinfo. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Middlesex signs Josh de Caires". Stabroek News. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  6. ^ "New twins give Toor happier end to Radlett season". Club Cricket Conference. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Ones to watch in 2020". The Middle Stump. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Yorkshire thwarted as Michael Atherton's son Josh de Caires impresses". The Yorkshire Post. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Josh de Caires: Mike Atherton's son signs Middlesex contract". ESPNcricinfo. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Josh de Caires: Michael Atherton's son on following in his father's footsteps". BBC. 19 April 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "Josh de Caires signs three-year Middlesex deal". The Cricketer. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Herts League averages for 2020 shines light on district's cricket stars". The Herts Advertiser. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Josh de Caires, son of ex-England captain Michael Atherton, hits hundred against Yorkshire". BBC Sport. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Tickhill CC sign former England captain Michael Atherton's son, Josh de Caires". Doncaster Free Press. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Group 2, Cheltenham, Jul 5 – 8 2021, County Championship". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  16. ^ "South Group (N), Cheltenham, Jul 9 2021, Vitality Blast". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Group 2, Manchester, Aug 3 2021, Royal London One-Day Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Under-19 World Cup stars and top-order protege: The Division Two youngsters to watch in 2022". The Cricketer. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  19. ^ "County Championship: Middlesex dominate Derbyshire with Stephen Eskinazi century". BBC Sport. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Josh de Caires adds eight-for to seven-for to continue wonderfully weird start to off-spin career". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.