Keith Barker

Keith Barker
Personal information
Full nameKeith Hubert Douglas Barker
Date of birth21 October 1986
Place of birthAccrington, England
Playing positionStriker
Youth career
Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2005–2007Blackburn Rovers0(0)
2006Cercle Brugge0(0)
2007Rochdale12(0)
2007St Patrick's Athletic?(3)
2008Northwich Victoria4(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Keith Barker (born 21 October 1986) is an English first-class cricketer who plays for Warwickshire. He is an all-rounder.

He previously played professional football, where he was a striker. He came through the academy of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, from whom he was loaned to Rochdale and Cercle Brugge. He subsequently had short spells at St Patrick's Athletic F.C. and Northwich Victoria before moving into cricket.

Early life and football

Barker was born in Accrington to Caribbean parents. His father Keith senior played cricket for British Guiana and came over to Britain to be overseas professional for Lancashire league side Enfield Cricket Club in 1965.[1] Barker's godfather is former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd.[2] Barker also played for Enfield and was offered a contract by Lancashire, but he decided to play football with Blackburn Rovers.[2]

In the 2004–05 academy season, Barker scored 17 goals in 27 appearances, making him the under-18 top scorer, as Rovers won the national academy play-offs. He also scored four times in seven Premier Reserve League North appearances. In 2005–06 he scored 4 times in 11 appearances for the reserves, before being loaned to Belgian feeder club Cercle Brugge in January 2006. He never appeared for their first team.

On 31 August 2006 Barker joined League Two side Rochdale on a three-month loan.[3] He scored one goal for the club in 16 appearances, in a Football League Trophy tie with Crewe Alexandra which finished 1–1.

Barker joined Irish club St Patrick's Athletic in July 2007 after being released by Blackburn Rovers. On 3 January 2008 Barker joined Conference National side Northwich Victoria on a free transfer.[4] He made four appearances for the club, all as a substitute.

International career

Barker made one appearance for England under 19s against Belgium on 9 February 2005 in a 1–1 draw.[5]

Cricket

Keith Barker
Personal information
Full name Keith Hubert Douglas Barker
Batting style Left-handed
Bowling style Left-arm medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2009–present Warwickshire (squad no. 13)
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20
Matches 40 43 51
Runs scored 1,167 397 306
Batting average 29.17 17.26 14.57
100s/50s 3/2 0/1 0/0
Top score 125 56 46
Balls bowled 6,038 1,498 919
Wickets 119 48 55
Bowling average 25.89 30.58 21.41
5 wickets in innings 6 0 0
10 wickets in match 1 n/a n/a
Best bowling 6/40 4/33 4/19
Catches/stumpings 14/– 8/– 13/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 2 September 2013

Barker continued to play for Enfield, where he was spotted by former England coach David Lloyd, whose son plays for Accrington.[2] On Lloyd's recommendation he was watched by Warwickshire second team coach Keith Piper, and subsequently offered a trial.[6] In August 2008 he was signed on a contract until 2010, after impressing in the second team.[7]

On 19 April 2009 Barker made his List A debut for Warwickshire against Somerset at Edgbaston. Batting at number 8, he made 28 runs before being bowled by Peter Trego. He then took the wicket of James Hildreth, finishing with figures of 1-47 as Warwickshire lost by 8 wickets.[8] In 2012 he formed an unexpectedly potent opening attack with Chris Wright that played a key part in Warwickshire winning the County Championship with a game to spare.[9] Barker is eligible for England and the West Indies, as his father was born in British Guiana (modern day Guyana).

References

  1. "Mourners farewell to cricket legend Keith Barker". Blackburn Citizen. 2008-04-11. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Barker handed Warks chance". ECB. 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  3. "Rochdale capture striker on loan". BBC. 2008-08-31. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  4. "Three in for battling Northwich". BBC. 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  5. http://www.englandfootballonline.com/MatchRsl/MatchRslTmU19pg1.html
  6. "Bears trial for footballer Barker". BBC. 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
  7. "Downpour frustrates Warwickshire". BBC. 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  8. "Warwickshire v Somerset". Cricinfo. 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  9. Dobell, George (6 September 2012). "Warwickshire win Championship title". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2012.

External links