Des Barrick

Born in the same Yorkshire town that produced Geoff Boycott, Des Barrick did not make his first-class debut until he was 23 but in the next 12 seasons he scored heavily in Northamptonshire's middle order. In his first game in June 1949, batting at No. 8, he made 34* and 36* but that was not enough to keep him in the side. Recalled a month later, he hammered an unbeaten 147 against the New Zealanders, and it was not until he had aggregated 228 runs that he was dismissed for the first time. He held his place for the rest of the summer, and although he struggled in 1950 and 1951, he learned to curb his aggressive approach and in the next two seasons he passed 1500 runs, and in 1953-54 toured India with a Commonwealth XI. In 1952 he hit his career best of 211 against Essex, adding 347 for the fifth wicket with Dennis Brookes, another Yorkshireman in exile. A part-time legspinner, his bowling best of 5 for 71 came a year earlier also against Essex. He received a benefit in 1960 and retired at the end of the summer. He continued to play for several summers in the Lancashire Leagues.
Martin Williamson