John Barclay (cricketer)

John Robert Troutbeck Barclay DL (born 22 January 1954) was an English cricketer, who played internationally once for Hong Kong.

John Barclay was born in Bonn, Germany. He was educated at Eton and was an acclaimed schoolboy cricketer. He was honoured by The Cricket Society and he made his first-class debut for Sussex, while still at school in 1970.

He was an opening batsman who never got quite as many runs as he should have, though having an excellent technique and eye. He also bowled off-spin, dismissing Ian Botham and Viv Richards several times. He succeeded Arnold Long as the County Captain of Sussex CCC in 1981 and led the team to second place in the County Championship. He was rated as one of the best county captains around and he was tipped for the Test captaincy. He was forced to retire in 1986, due to a finger injury.

After his playing career ended he became the Director of Cricket at the Friends of Arundel Castle Cricket Club, which he continues to this day, in tandem with the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation. He has been a successful tour manager, as he took the England Under-19's, the England A's and also managed the England team for two tours. He briefly returned to management recently with the blind team, but he is now working for the MCC and running a charity, the Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation for young cricketers and underprivileged children in Arundel, West Sussex. He holds a number of posts, such as President of the Cricket Society and the English Schools Cricket Association, Chairman of the Sussex Cricket Board and Chairman of Cricket for Sussex CCC. He served as President of the Marylebone Cricket Club for 2009-10.

References

• John Barclay at Cricinfo
• John Barclay at CricketArchive
• The Friends of Arundel Castle Cricket Club
• The Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation
• The Cricket Society

Further reading

• Barclay, John (2008). Life Beyond the Airing Cupboard. Fairfield Books. ISBN 978-0-9560702-0-3.