Joseph Holt (cricketer)

{{short description|Jamaican cricketer}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Joseph Holt

| country = West Indies

| fullname = Joseph Kenneth Holt

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1895|1|10|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Trelwany, Jamaica

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1968|8|7|1895|1|10|df=yes}}

| death_place = Vineyard Town, Kingston, Jamaica

| family = John Holt (son)

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right arm medium

| role = {{ubl|All-rounder|Occasional Wicket-keeper}}

| club1 = Jamaica

| year1 = 1905–1930

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 36

| runs1 = 1,600

| bat avg1 = 27.58

| 100s/50s1 = 4/8

| top score1 = 142

| deliveries1 = 2,383

| wickets1 = 26

| bowl avg1 = 40.53

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 3/34

| catches/stumpings1 = 24/1

| date = 20 June

| year = 2012

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13724/13724.html CricketArchive

}}

Joseph Kenneth "JK" Holt (10 January 1885 – 7 August 1968) was a Jamaican cricketer who represented West Indies in matches before they attained Test match status.{{cite web|title=Joseph Holt|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13724/13724.html|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=20 June 2012}} He first played for Jamaica in 1905. He played irregularly for the team until 1911, twice passing fifty runs in a first-class innings.{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=13724&opponentmatch=exact&playername=&resulttype=All&matchtype=All&teammatch=exact&startwicket=&homeawaytype=All&opponent=&endwicket=&wicketkeeper=&searchtype=InningsList&endscore=&playermatch=contains&branding=cricketarchive&captain=&endseason=&startscore=&team=&startseason=| title = Player Oracle JK Holt| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =20 June 2012}} In 1923, he was selected to tour England with the West Indies team.

Playing in first-class cricket for the first time since 1911, he scored 293 runs at an average of 15.42 and took one wicket. He scored two first-class fifties.{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/13/13724/f_Batting_by_Season.html| title = First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Joseph Holt| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =20 June 2012}} His remaining first-class matches were played for Jamaica against touring English teams, apart from one game for a representative West Indies team in 1929.

In 1928, he scored his maiden first-class century against LH Tennyson's team, and in the next match against the same opposition hit 142 runs, his highest first-class score. The following year, he scored two centuries against Julien Cahn's touring side, the second of which was scored for a West Indies XI. In Jamaica, he had a reputation as a good batsman in difficult situations and a bowler who could take a wicket when others had failed. He captained Lucas Cricket Club to four successive Senior Cup titles.

In later years, he was a respected figure in Jamaican cricket and his son JK Holt junior played Test cricket for West Indies.{{Cite news |title = The "Old Master" Goes | newspaper = The Daily Gleaner | location = Kingston, Jamaica | page = 14 | date = 7 August 1968}}