Full Name

Keith Hubert Douglas Barker

Born

October 21, 1986, Manchester, Lancashire

Age

37y 150d

Batting Style

Left hand Bat

Bowling Style

Left arm Medium fast

Playing Role

Bowler

RELATIONS

(father)

A former footballer who was signed as a batsman, Keith Barker actually made his name as a left-arm swing bowler. Declining the offer of a Lancashire contract when he was 16, Barker instead pursued a career in football and, as a striker, represented England at U-18, U-19 and U-20 level. But after signing for Blackburn Rovers, he dropped to Rochdale Town and then Northwich Victoria and, by the time he was 21, it became apparent that he was not going to make it as a footballer. With Lancashire initially showing little interest in having him back, he impressed in club cricket with Enfield in the Lancashire League and, having scored a century in a trial match, was offered a contract by Warwickshire in August 2008.

By the time he moved to Hampshire at the end of the 2018 season (describing Warwickshire's offer of a new contract as "an afterthought"), he had claimed 357 first-class wickets at 25.51 and included six first-class hundreds in a respectable 28.64 average. He was a crucial part of the Warwickshire attack that won the County Championship in 2012, a season in which he won selection for the England Lions.

Barker made his maiden first-class century against a strong Durham attack in 2011 having been called into the game after two days as a substitute for William Porterfield and followed it up with another against Sussex a couple of games later. But it was in 2012 that he really made a breakthrough, taking the new ball and claiming 56 wickets at only 20 apiece, including five five-wicket hauls, in the Championship and helping Warwickshire win the title. While somewhat gentle of pace, his control and ability to swing the ball render him a dangerous proposition and he followed his breakthrough year with 46 first-class wickets in 2013 and 51 in 2014 cementing his reputation as one of the most potent left-arm bowlers in county cricket.

His batting remained useful, too. While not completely convincing against the short ball, there was normally a century from the lower order at some point in the summer to further underline an all-round ability that did not quite win him an opportunity at the highest level. Eligible for England and West Indies, he had made it clear that he would be happy to represent either, though neither came to fruition.

His first season at Hampshire was something of a success. While he was limited to opportunities in the Championship alone, he took 37 wickets at 26.59 as his new team finished third in Division One.

Barker is the son of the former British Guiana cricketer, also named Keith, and the godson of former West Indies captain, Clive Lloyd, with whom he shares the distinctive middle name, Hubert.
George Dobell

Keith Barker Career Stats

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
FC16328327014129865177/4610/7025.112.8852.224221
List A726828702681864/334/3331.175.6033.3100
T20s656112061588694/194/1923.017.9017.4200

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
FC16322335529312528.15921157.4662569332390
List A7247136395618.7967295.0801649150
T20s653573834613.67345111.0100339170

Recent Matches of Keith Barker

MatchBatBowlDateGroundFormat
Hampshire vs Essex42 & 121/4219-Sep-2023ChelmsfordFC
Hampshire vs Leics12*3/6516-Sep-2023NottinghamList A
Hampshire vs Somerset225/32 & 0/5303-Sep-2023SouthamptonFC
Hampshire vs Warwickshire--3/2829-Aug-2023BirminghamList A
Hampshire vs WORCS52/4627-Aug-2023SouthamptonList A

Photos of Keith Barker

Keith Barker took three wickets in his opening spell
Keith Barker celebrates a wicket
Keith Barker bowls on the opening morning of the season
Keith Barker ran through Somerset in the second innings
Keith Barker of Hampshire appeals for a wicket
Keith Barker swung the momentum Hampshire's way with the bat