Ian Johnson (cricketer)

Ian William Geddes Johnson, was an Australian cricketer who played 45 Test matches as a slow off-break bowler between 1946 and 1956. Johnson captured 109 Test wickets at an average of 29.19 runs per wicket and as a capable lower order batsman made 1,000 runs at an average of 18.51 runs per dismissal. He captained the Australian team in 17 Tests, winning seven and losing five, with a further five drawn. Despite this record, he is better known as the captain who lost consecutive Ashes series against England. Urbane, well-spoken and popular with his opponents and the public, he was seen by his teammates as a disciplinarian and his natural optimism was often seen as naive.

8 December 1917

Born on the same birth day (8 December): Andy Kapp • Claude Balbastre • Doriano Romboni • Eli Whitney • Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor • François de La Rochefoucauld (cardinal) • Jan Eggum • Johnny Green (basketball) • Les Ferdinand • Raheem Sterling • Rick Baker • Sun Li-jen • Tim Foli • Yui Yokoyama

Born in the same month (December 1917): Arseny Mironov • Buddy Boudreaux • Cahit Külebi • Dean Hess • Gene Rayburn • Heinrich Böll • Irv Robbins • James Jesus Angleton • June Taylor • Ken Downing • Kenneth Dike • Lincoln Verduga Loor • Marty Marion • Onni Palaste • Ramanand Sagar • Seymour Melman • T. Nadaraja • Wilfrid Noyce