Keith Barker

For other people named Keith Barker, see Keith Barker (disambiguation).

Keith Hubert Douglas Barker (born 21 October 1986) is an English first-class cricketer who plays for Hampshire. 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 Cercle Brugge and Rochdale. He subsequently had short spells at St Patrick's Athletic and Northwich Victoria before moving into cricket.

Keith Barker
Barker in 2022
Born	Keith Hubert Douglas Barker (1986-10-21) 21 October 1986 (age 36) Manchester, England
Occupation(s)	Footballer, cricketer
Relatives	Keith Barker senior (father)
Cricket information
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Left-arm medium
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2009–2018	Warwickshire (squad no. 13)
2019–	Hampshire (squad no. 13)
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20 Matches 153 65 65 Runs scored 4,992 617 383 Batting average 28.36 19.90 13.67 100s/50s 6/24 0/1 0/0 Top score 125 56 46 Balls bowled 25,561 2,492 1,206 Wickets 497 73 69 Bowling average 24.63 32.56 23.01 5 wickets in innings 21 0 0 10 wickets in match 1 0 0 Best bowling 7/46 4/33 4/19 Catches/stumpings 38/– 14/– 17/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 5 October 2022
Association football career Position(s) Striker Youth career Blackburn Rovers Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 2005–2007 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0) 2006 → Cercle Brugge (loan) 0 (0) 2007 → Rochdale (loan) 12 (0) 2007 St Patrick's Athletic 7 (3) 2008 Northwich Victoria 4 (0) International career 2005 England U19 1 (0) *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life and football

Barker was born in Manchester to Caribbean parents. His father Keith Barker, Sr. played cricket for British Guiana and came over to Britain to be overseas professional for Lancashire league side Enfield Cricket Club in 1965.^[1][2][3] Barker's godfather is former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd.^[4] Barker also played for Enfield and was offered a contract by Lancashire, but he decided to play football with Blackburn Rovers.^[4][5]

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.^{[citation needed]} In 2005–06 he scored 4 times in 11 appearances for the reserves,^{[citation needed]} before being loaned to Belgian feeder club Cercle Brugge in January 2006. He never appeared for their first team.^{[citation needed]}

On 31 August 2006 Barker joined League Two side Rochdale on a three-month loan.^[6] He made his professional debut two days later, playing the full 90 minutes in their 1–1 draw with Hereford United at Spotland.^[7] He scored one goal for the club in 16 appearances, equalising in a Football League Trophy tie away to Crewe Alexandra on 31 October which finished 1–1, with the hosts winning in a penalty shootout.^[8]

Barker joined Irish club St Patrick's Athletic in the summer of 2007 after being released by Blackburn, though his five months there were mostly spent off with injury.^[9] On 3 January 2008 he joined Conference National side Northwich Victoria on a free transfer.^[10] 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.^[11]

Cricket

Barker continued to play for Enfield, where he was spotted by former England coach David Lloyd, whose son plays for Accrington.^[4] On Lloyd's recommendation he was watched by Warwickshire second team coach Keith Piper, and subsequently offered a trial.^[12] In August 2008 he was signed on a contract until 2010, after impressing in the second team.^[13]

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.^[14] 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.^[15] Barker is eligible for England and the West Indies, as his father was born in Barbados.^[2][16]

On 26 September 2018, Barker signed for Hampshire on a two-year deal from 2019 onwards,^[17] taking 37 Championship wickets in his first season, before extending his contract further on 15 January 2020.^[18] In August 2020, in the opening round of fixtures in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy, Barker took his 400th first-class wicket.^[19]

References

1. "Player profile: Keith Barker [Junior]", ESPNcricinfo, ESPN, retrieved 27 May 2015
2. "Player profile: Keith Barker [Senior]", ESPNcricinfo, ESPN, retrieved 27 May 2015
3. "Mourners farewell to cricket legend Keith Barker". Blackburn Citizen. Newsquest North West. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
4. . ECB. 28 May 2008. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
5. Bolton, Paul (26 April 2012). "Keith Barker's rise from football rags at Blackburn Rovers to Edgbaston riches with Warwickshire". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
6. "Rochdale capture striker on loan". BBC Sport. BBC. 31 August 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
7. "Rochdale 1-1 Hereford". BBC Sport. 2 September 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
8. "Rochdale 1-1 Crewe". BBC Sport. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
9. "Barker open to West Indies approach". BBC Sport.
10. "Three in for battling Northwich". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
11. "England Matches - Under-19's 1991-2010". England Football Online. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
12. "Bears trial for footballer Barker". BBC Sport. BBC. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 29 May 2008.
13. "Downpour frustrates Warwickshire". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 August 2008. Retrieved 22 April 2008.
14. "Warwickshire v Somerset". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
15. Dobell, George (6 September 2012). "Warwickshire win Championship title". ESPNcricinfo. ESPN. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
16. Culley, Jon (18 May 2015). "Keith Barker inflicts more misery on Durham as he strikes first with bat and then ball". The Independent. Retrieved 27 May 2015. he admitted he would happily play for West Indies, for whom he qualifies through his father, who represented British Guiana.
17. "Keith Barker: Hampshire sign Warwickshire fast bowler on two-year contract". 26 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
18. "Keith Barker: Hampshire all-rounder extends contract with county". 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
19. "Bob Willis Trophy: Sussex seal three-day win over Hampshire at Hove". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2020.

External links

• Keith Barker at Soccerbase  
• Rochdale Ex-files: Keith Barker
• Player Profile at Warwickshire County Cricket Club
• Player Profile at Birmingham Bears