[1] He first played cricket for a club in Trinidad called Stingo,[2] which included players from the lowest social class.

Stingo was described by writer and historian C. L. R. James: "They were plebeians: the butcher, the tailor, the candlestick maker, the casual labourer, with a sprinkling of unemployed.

"[4] Outside of his cricket career, Small worked for the Stores Department of Trinidad Leaseholds oil company.

[5] Small made his first-class debut for Trinidad on 11 November 1909, playing against a team chosen by WC Shepherd.

[6] During the 1912–13 season, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) toured West Indies, playing in Barbados, Trinidad and British Guiana.

The MCC played two matches against each island and faced a representative West Indies side in each location.

Having beaten Guiana, Trinidad lost to Barbados once more in the final in which Small scored 36 and 5, but took only two wickets in 35 overs.

At the time, West Indian batsmen were traditionally white, but according to James, "Joe Small had made for himself a place as a batsman which could not be denied.

"[9] James writes that there was a perception in Trinidad that Small owed his place to his genial nature, but that the selectors did not want any further black batsmen in the side.

According to James, this contrasted with the ambition of others in the team: "Through cricket, steadiness of character and a limited outlook Joe had made a place for himself that was quite satisfactory to him".

[13] Small returned to play for Trinidad in the 1924 Inter-Colonial Tournament; he scored 62 in the first match but failed in the final against Barbados.

Small played twice for Trinidad and three times for West Indies against the touring team,[7] but managed just 106 runs with one fifty in eight innings, and took 11 wickets.

[5][17] Wisden Cricketers' Almanack noted that, compared to 1923, "Small fell off considerably" with the bat, and that his "increased measure of success" with the ball did not compensate for the failure of other bowlers.

Wisden recorded: "Small, batting in fine form for an hour and a half, enjoyed the distinction of making the only score of over 50 for his side.

[6][21] Although he was not successful, he was chosen for the second Test of the four-match series between England and West Indies, played in Trinidad.

There was no first-class cricket in West Indies during the 1930–31 season,[23] but he played in the Trinidad team which won the 1931–32 Inter-Colonial Tournament.

[24] He died following a short illness in Pointe-à-Pierre, Trinidad, on 26 April 1958 at the age of 65,[notes 1][1][5] having been largely forgotten in the West Indies.

[24] His Wisden obituary states that Small was a "tall, loose-limbed all-rounder, who did much fine work for Trinidad".

He was a gifted batsman with all the strokes at his command, a medium-pace off-break bowler and a competent slip fielder.

"[26] The Daily Gleaner gave Small credit, along with other Trinidadian cricketers of the time, for overcoming the dominance of the Barbados team.

There might be only two boys fielding, but if you bowled Joe a half-volley outside the off stump, he hit with all his force, though he would have to wait until the ball came back from 150 yards.