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Rob Foster

Ton up Fosters impress for Shrewsbury

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

It was a memorable day for the Foster brothers as they both cracked glorious centuries to put more daylight between Shrewsbury and the Birmingham League premier division relegation zone.

The London Roaders, who head to Kenilworth Wardens on Saturday, now sit 40 points clear of the bottom two after piling on the runs in a one-sided winning draw at home to surprise basement boys Himley.

Skipper Rob Foster hit 113 to register his first century for six years and older brother Ed, his predecessor as captain, maintained his rich vein of form with 112.

“Both us played quite well, said the captain, modestly. “To get 100 with your brother at the other end makes it extra special.

“Ed’s in great form at the moment and it was nice to get a hundred as I had not got one since a game against Halesowen in 2008 so I was well overdue.

“I’ve been close a few times, ending 80 not out when we’ve chased down totals, so it was nice to get one.”

The Fosters put on 156 for the second wicket as the runs flowed for the county towners who remain sixth in the table after claiming 17 points.

Ed shared in an opening stand of 89 with Steve Leach, first man out for 33, and he then played well in tandem with his brother.

Ed struck his 112 from as many balls, hitting a six and 12 boundaries, while skipper Rob, at No 3, helped himself to 15 boundaries on his way to making 113 from 116 deliveries.

Tom Cox then added a brisk 38 as Shrewsbury racked up an imposing total of 352-6 from their 55 overs, with Himley’s Jamie Harris plugging away to take 4-60.

Himley’s reply, in truth, never got going and, despite 42 at the top of the order from captain Greg Wright, the visitors were never likely to chase down their daunting target.

Survival quickly became the name of the game and they achieved it as they ended on 171-7.

Elliot Green, the consistent spinner, claimed 2-45 from 16 overs.

“It was pleasing to come away with 17 points and dominate the game,” added skipper Foster. “We played well although it was just a shame we couldn’t get the wickets we needed to win the game.

“We had seven or eight overs at the end needing three wickets but it didn’t quite happen.

“Sometimes you need teams to play a few shots and I was a bit surprised they didn’t attempt to go for it any stage given they are bottom of the table and need the points, but it was a big chase for them.”

Meanwhile, SHREWSBURY II are 27 points adrift at the bottom of the Birmingham League’s reserve premier division after Henry Blofield’s half century helped them secure a losing draw at Himley II.

Blofield was in good touch for 59 as Shrewsbury, who emerged with six points, closed on 160-5 in reply to Himley’s imposing 278-6 which was built around 74 from Sandeep Dillon.

Promising youngster Harry Bolland bowled tidily to claim 4-63.

Shrewsbury’s second string take on Attock II at London Road on Saturday.

Himley set for visit to London Road

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

Himley, Saturday’s visitors to London Road, may currently be bottom of the Birmingham League’s premier division, but Shrewsbury captain Rob Foster is expecting nothing but a tough game.

Foster is pleased how Shrewsbury have performed on the last two Saturdays with victory at Dorridge followed by an impressive winning draw at home to high-flying Berskwell, who included former Warwickshire and England man Darren Maddy in their side.

Now he has urged his team, who are up to sixth place, some 29 points clear of the relegation zone, to keep hitting the heights.

“We’ve started to play well,” said Foster. “That’s pleasing given some of the big players we’re missing at the moment.

“We expect another tough test against Himley and I think they’re in a bit of a false position when you look at some of the players in their side.

“Greg Wright, their captain, is scoring a lot of runs at the moment so we know that we’ll have to keep playing like we are.

“We want to finish as high in the table as possible, but we’re mindful that teams around us are also winning so we need to string a few more results together.”

Foster saluted the contribution of his brother Ed who has hit 90 and 87 at the top of the order in the last two matches as he’s once again underlined his class.

“When Ed plays well, we play well,” he said. “Some people might say he’s had a quiet season but he’s still in the top four or five run scorers in the league.”

Foster added it’s unlikely Shrewsbury will see much of influential all-rounder Joe Leach in the closing weeks of the campaign now that he’s a regular in the Worcestershire side.

“It’s great for Joe that he’s taken his chance so well,” stressed Foster. “Credit to him for that and it was nice to watch him on TV playing against Surrey last weekend, particularly getting Kevin Pietersen out.”

Meanwhile, teenage Shrewsbury all-rounder Ed Barnard returned to the international stage when he lined up for England under-19s in their drawn four-day game with South Africa at Cambridge ground Fenner’s.

Shrewsbury, without the unavailable Alex Blofield this weekend, are waiting to see if Dewi Jones, who recently made his first team debut for Glamorgan, will have recovered from the injury which meant he missed the Berkswell game.

Shrewsbury, from: E Foster, S Leach, R Foster (captain), T Cox, S Barnard, M Barnard, D Manders, E Green, C Morris, S Griffiths, D Jones, P Butler, G Hargrave, G Panayi.

Steve Barnard

Steve Barnard returns for Dorridge trip

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

Shrewsbury captain Rob Foster insists his team’s first priority is picking up enough points to ensure they are not dragged into a relegation scrap in the Birmingham Cricket League premier division.

Foster concedes Shrewsbury, who travel to Dorridge on Saturday, have little chance of making it back-to-back titles given they trail leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth by 75 points.

His first target, he admits, is trying to widen the current 16 point gap between Shrewsbury, who are eighth in the table, and second-bottom Walsall.

“First of all, it’s about stopping up,” said Foster, whose side were washed out without a ball bowled at home to Brockhampton last weekend. “You can quickly get dragged into something so we just need to get a few wins as soon as we can to give us a bit of a breathing space really.”

Foster hopes one of them will come on Saturday at a Dorridge side two places and eight points above them in the table, not that he’s expecting anything other than a tough game.

“They’ve picked up quite a bit,” he said. “They were a bit short when we beat them at home earlier in the season but they’ve had people like Laurie Evans, a regular at Warwickshire, playing quite often for them recently.”

Shrewsbury, whose second team host Old Hill II on Saturday, will be without unavailable batsman Tom Cox but influential all-rounder Steve Barnard is poised to return.

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, booked their place in the final of the Salop Leisure Twenty20 Knockout Trophy by beating Whitchurch by seven wickets in front of a big London Road crowd.

They will now have home advantage for the final against Owestry next Friday, August 1 (6.15pm).

Having restricted Whitchurch to a modest 97-8 from their 20 overs, Shrewsbury had few problems advancing to 103-3.

Guest player Kim Rose, an Aussie who plays for Shelton in the Shropshire League, top scored with an unbeaten 23 while there were also contributions from Anthony Parker (21no), Ed Barnard (20) and Patrick Butler (20).

“It was great to see a good crowd there,” added Foster. “It was quite a one-sided game but it should be a good final against Oswestry.”

Elsewhere, Shrewsbury duo Steve Leach and spinner Charlie Morris, a debutant, were both part of the Shropshire side which beat Cornwall by six wickets in the Unicorns Championship at St Austell this week.

Leach, the opening batsman, top scored with 72 as Shropshire were bowled out for 300 in their first innings.

Cornwall were removed for 188 and 203 either side as former Yorkshire paceman Ben Sanderson grabbed seven wickets in each innings for brilliant match figures of 14 for 108 from 35.5 overs.

Despite a couple of early wobbles, Shropshire, next in action against Devon at Exeter between August 3 and 5, had few problems in reaching their victory target at 92-4 as they achieved back-to-back Championship wins.

SHREWSBURY: E Foster, S Leach, E Barnard, R Foster (captain), A Parker, S Barnard, D Jones, M Barnard, E Green, S Griffiths, C Morris.

Rob Foster

Captain Foster returns for Brockhampton visit

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

SHREWSBURY are boosted by the return of captain Rob Foster for Saturday’s home clash with Brockhampton in the Birmingham Cricket League’s premier division as the club’s exciting teenager Ed Barnard celebrates another England under-19 call up.

Foster was unavailable for last weekend’s eight-wicket defeat at leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth, a result which leaves the London Roaders languishing in eighth place in the top-flight table.

A second-wicket partnership of 135 between former Gloucestershire batsman Kadeer Ali and current Warwickshire regular Ateeq Javid sentenced Shrewsbury to a heavy reverse after opener Steve Leach carried his bat for an unbeaten 77 for the county towners.

But the skipper is back for Saturday and takes his place in a 12-man Shrewsbury squad featuring Worcestershire prospect Barnard who has been called up for England’s two Test series against South Africa later this summer.

Barnard helped England to a third-placed finish in the under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.

The opening Test against the young Springboks is at Cambridge ground Fenners starting on August 1 before the second Test begins at Northamptonshire CCC from August 7.

The young Lions will also face Yorkshire’s under-19s in a warm up game at Sleaford on July 29.

Meanwhile, Ed Foster, Shrewsbury’s consistent batsman, has now urged his side to finish strongly over the final 10 games of the season as they look to climb the table, starting with Saturday’s visit of fourth-placed Brockhampton.

“Brockhampton are a strong side, a dangerous side, with a lot of experienced league cricketers and Herefordshire players,” said Foster.

“We had a very close away game against them earlier in the season when we lost off the last ball of the match.

“In some ways that’s been the story of our season as we’ve had quite a few close games and not quite won enough of them.”

Shrewsbury are waiting on the availability of Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach before finalising their side.

There’s also cricket at London Road tomorrow night (Friday, 6.15pm start) with Shrewsbury, the holders, meeting Whitchurch in the second semi-final of the Salop Leisure T20 KO Trophy.

The victors will take on Oswestry, four-wicket winners over Shifnal in the opening last four clash last Friday night, in the grand final at London Road on Friday, August 1.

As an incentive to attract more spectators, season ticket holders at Shrewsbury Town Football Club, those wearing the club’s football shirt and anyone picking up a flyer at the club’s first two pre-season friendlies at the Greenhous Meadow will qualify for a free drink tomorrow night.

Rather than holding the tournament on a Sunday in August as in previous years, it is being spread over three Friday evenings this summer to attract more spectators and avoid fixture congestion towards the end of the season.

SHREWSBURY, from: E Foster, S Leach, J Leach, E Barnard, T Cox, R Foster, A Parker, D Jones, M Barnard, E Green, S Griffiths, C Morris.

Ed Foster

Large Walsall win encourages Foster

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

SHREWSBURY gave a timely reminder of their capabilities by hammering Walsall, a result skipper Rob Foster hopes will inject fresh belief into his side’s Birmingham League premier division campaign.

Shrewsbury romped to a stunning 147 run away win to climb out of the top-fight’s bottom two and up to eighth place in the table ahead of Saturday’s home game with Walmley.

The London Roaders quickly returned to Walsall 24 hours later to compete in Birmingham League finals day of the ECB National Club Twenty20 KO.

They saw off hosts Walsall, who must be fed up with the sight of the county towners, in the semis, but missed out on a place in the regional stages after losing heavily to Barnt Green in the final later on Sunday afternoon.

But there was no doubting the highlight of Shrewsbury’s busy weekend with Foster delighted with the manner of the convincing victory, just a third league success of the season, against a Walsall side featuring Pakistan international star Umar Amin.

“It was a really good all-round team performance,” enthused Foster. “The way we performed was much like last year and it’s never easy going to Walsall as they won the league the year before us and have still got a lot of those players in their side.

“We now need to find some consistency and put a few wins together.”

Walsall’s overseas pro Amin found himself totally upstaged by a fired up Shrewsbury side as he failed to take a wicket before being dismissed for an eight-ball duck, caught by Ed Foster off Steve Barnard who delivered a sharp opening spell which left the hosts in major trouble.

Foster said: “It’s always enjoyable to play against someone who has played Test cricket. Sometimes it’s nice in a way to watch them score a few runs and watch them play, but Steve Barnard cleaned him up early on with a really good ball.”

Shrewsbury, stuck in, had earlier made assured progress towards totalling a competitive 225-8.

They lost Steve Leach early on but that brought together the Foster brothers and they put on 87 for the second wicket.

Ed Foster led the way with 64 from 114 balls, hitting a six and five boundaries, while skipper Rob Foster added 42.

Other useful contributions from wicketkeeper Anthony Parker (47no) and Steve Barnard (40) kept the scoreboard ticking over as Walsall’s Paul Byrne claimed 4-74.

Walsall, in reply, were quickly plunged into turmoil with Barnard, who claimed 3-19 from nine lively overs, reducing them to 10-3.

Byrne offered limited resistance by making 30 but Walsall were then undone by former Shelton paceman Sam Griffiths, who claimed 4-18 from 9.2 overs, and Mike Barnard (2-17) as they were skittled for just 78 inside 34 overs.

“Our score was a very competitive one,” said the skipper. “We were put in and there was a bit in the wicket early on but Ed batted very well and we managed to put a few on. Then Anthony Parker and Steve Barnard also played well.

“Steve bowled very well at the start of the Walsall innings, taking three wickets and he might have had a fourth but for a dropped catch, and then Sam came on and took four wickets. It was all very pleasing.”

Lightning struck twice 24 hours later with Shrewsbury, showing five changes from Saturday, beating Walsall again, this time in the Birmingham League semi-finals of the ECB National Club Twenty20.

Walsall opted to bat first and Griffiths again enjoyed himself, claiming 3-22, while Jack Garmson played his part with 2-25 as the home side were restricted to 139-8 from their 20 overs.

Shrewsbury timed their chase to perfection to advance to 140-5 with four balls to spare.

Rob Foster, promoted to open, hammered 60 from 37 balls, putting on 90 for the second wicket with his brother Ed, who saw the job through with an unbeaten 61 from 53 deliveries.

That set up a final clash against Barnt Green, five run conquerors of Tamworth in the other semi.

But Shrewsbury were unable to make it three wins out of three for the weekend as they were well beaten by nine wickets after being bowled out for just 52.

Foster added: “We played very well in the semi to chase down 140. In the final we were a little reliant on a few of us at the top of the order and unfortunately we didn’t fire. To be bowled out for 52 was a bit embarrassing but Barnt Green are a good side and had a strong team out.”

Rob Foster collects the Birmingham League trophy in 2013

Captain Foster targets Birmingham League defence

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

Upbeat Shrewsbury captain Rob Foster insists successfully defending their Birmingham Cricket League premier division title is the club’s target this season.

Shrewsbury, who have again secured the services of Nottinghamshire and England batsman Jimmy Taylor as the club’s contracted player, open their league season at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday.

The London Roaders were runaway champions last year, racking up a record points total, and Foster wants his team to pick up where they left off.

Shrewsbury have signalled their intentions by pulling off excellent victories in the past fortnight over West Bromwich Dartmouth and Knowle & Dorridge in the Graham Williamson Trophy to ensure they should hit the ground running.

Foster said: “We want to win the league again, I’m not too shy to say that, and good sides win titles back-to-back.”Wellington did that probably 10 years ago and we would very much like to do the same.

“We know we will be there to be shot at but a lot of teams will not relish coming to play us.

“I think we got a lot of respect from other teams in the league over how we played last season and went about winning matches so we’re all raring to go again and looking forward to it.”

Shrewsbury will make one change from the side which impressively beat K&D in the Trophy last weekend with Elliot Green replacing fellow spinner Charlie Morris.

Glamorgan Academy player Dewi Jones, a fast bowler, will make his league debut for the club against a West Brom side likely to include former Gloucestershire batsman Kadeer Ali and also potentially current Warwickshire first teamer Ateeq Javid.

Foster added he was delighted that Nottinghamshire star Taylor, the free-scoring former Shrewsbury School pupil, has again agreed to be the club’s contracted player.

Taylor, the one-day captain for the Trent Bridge club, was among the crowd for Shrewsbury’s victory last weekend and is a popular figure at London Road.

Foster said: “When we see Jimmy it’s a bonus and having an England cricketer at the club is always great.

“Hopefully he will get a chance to play for England again this season and he couldn’t have done much more over the winter with the runs he scored for England Lions.

“Jimmy says he will play for us when he gets the chance so hopefully we’ll get him in for a few games.”

Shrewsbury are also in action on Sunday whey they travel to ambitious Penkridge in the first round of the National KO, a competition the county towners have memorably won twice.

Foster added he expects a tricky game against a Penkridge side expected to include former Shropshire all-rounder Attiq Chisti.

SHREWSBURY (v West Bromwich Dartmouth): S Leach, E Foster, E Barnard, J Leach, T Cox, R Foster (captain), A Parker, S Barnard, S Griffiths, E Green, D Jones.

1st XI pass Knowle and Dorridge test

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

SHREWSBURY are looking good ahead of the start of their Birmingham League premier division title defence this weekend after another impressive victory in the Graham Williamson Trophy.

Having won at top-flight rivals West Bromwich Dartmouth a week earlier, Shrewsbury, who have won this comeptition four years in a row, claimed another eye-catching result last weekend by beating much fancied Knowle & Dorridge by 16 runs.

“It was good to pick up another win,” said captain Rob Foster. “We probably weren’t at our best for large parts in the field but it was good to put down a marker against a good side which finished third in the league last season.”

The success was built around an excellent 132 run stand for the second wicket between Ed Foster and Ed Barnard.

Shrewsbury, invited to bat first, lost Oxford University batsman Steve Leach in the infancy of their innings for three.

That brought Foster and Barnard together in the middle and they batted the London Roaders into a strong position.

Foster, on his first club appearance of the season, led the way with a polished 81 as he built on the splendid 118 he hit for Shropshire in a friendly against Staffordshire the previous Sunday.

Foster cracked eight fours and two sixes off 81 balls and together with teenager Barnard he really took the game to K&D.

England under-19 ace Barnard, the star of the show in making 98 in the first round win at West Bromwich, was once again in good touch in hitting 49 from 74 deliveries as Shrewsbury racked up 185-8 from their 40 overs.

Shrewsbury could not have hoped for a better start with the ball with the club’s Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach trapping Australian opener Michael Hill leg before with the very first ball of the innings.

Hill is a regular for Victoria Down Under and renowned as a dangerous, big-hitting batsman but he had no chance to show what he can do.

Former Shelton man Sam Griffiths then also picked up a key lbw decision, removing Warwickshire’s Paul Best for 20 to make it advantage Shrewsbury.

Opener Alex Phillips dug in to make 53 but the visitors pulled up short of their target on 169-8.

Leach took 2-20 from eight tight overs and Steve Barnard claimed 2-35 to leave Shrewsbury eagerly awaiting Saturday’s opening league game of the season at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth.

Captain Foster added: “The two Eds batted very well to put us in a good position. Joe Leach then bowled fantastically well and some of Knowle’s top players couldn’t lay a bat on him.

“This is a good competition for us. They are always good competitive warm up games and now we’re raring to go for the league season.”

Shrewsbury will now take on Kidderminster Victoria in the semi finals of the Graham Williamson Trophy on Sunday, May 4.

Rob Foster

Several changes ahead of Knowle and Dorridge visit

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

Shrewsbury wheel out the big guns for Saturday’s Graham Williamson Trophy second round tie at home to much fancied Knowle & Dorridge (12.30pm).

Skipper Rob Foster together with fellow regulars Ed Foster, Steve Leach, Steve Barnard and Sam Griffiths all return after missing last weekend’s first round win at West Bromwich Dartmouth in which England under-19 prospect Ed Barnard shone.

All-rounder Alex Blofield, one of the club’s many Shropshire regulars, is unavailable.

The match with K&D will be Shrewsbury’s last ahead of beginning the defence of their Birmingham League premier division at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth a week on Saturday, April 26.

“Knowle & Dorridge finished third last year and they’ve strengthened over the winter,” said Shrewsbury skipper Foster. “They’ve brought in Michael Hill, an Australian from Victoria who recently played in the Big Bash as their overseas player.

“He’s a dangerous player, a batsman, who likes to give it a whack, and they’ve also signed Warwickshire’s Paul Best, another good player.

“It’s as tough a test we could have early season and it will be a good marker for both teams to see where we’re at.”

Foster added he was delighted by teenager Barnard’s fine start to the season with his polished knock of 98 laying the foundations for last weekend’s victory.

“It’s no surprise to see Ed get a score like that,” he said. “It’s his biggest score for the first team so far but he’s already experienced playing at such a high level with England’s under-19s.”

Foster’s older brother, Ed, was quickly back in the groove, too, cracking 118 at the top of the order for Shropshire in last Sunday’s warm up win over Staffordshire at Shifnal.

SHREWSBURY, from: S Leach, E Foster, E Barnard, J Leach, T Cox, R Foster, A Parker, S Barnard, C Morris, E Green, S Griffiths, D Jones, G Hargrave.

New signings in ahead of the new season

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

BIRMINGHAM Cricket League champions Shrewsbury have bolstered their bowling department by signing promising left-arm spinner Charlie Morris from Oswestry.

Shrewsbury captain Rob Foster said he was delighted to have landed Morris and stressed the new boy would be part of the first team squad at London Road.

Foster said: “Charlie’s a very good bowler and he’s been involved in senior nets for Shropshire over the winter.

“Oswestry have got some very good spinners and at times he struggled to get a bowl there so he looked at his options and decided to come to us which we’re pleased about.”

Young all-rounder Henry Rose, a Shropshire under-16 player, has also decided to play his club cricket at Shrewsbury instead of Oswestry this season, but batsman Matt Gregson, who found first team chances hard to come by at London Road, has moved the other way.

“It’s disappointing to lose Matt and he did well when he played for us in the Graham Williamson Trophy,” said Foster. “But I can understand that he wants to play regular first team cricket.”

Shrewsbury will have a similar look to the side which performed so impressively last summer although there are doubts over the availability of paceman Mike Barnard after he moved to Cardiff to work.

“His availability might be a bit sketchy,” admitted Foster. “We’ll probably be picking from 15 or 16 players.

“I’m not sure how much we will see of Joe Leach as I would think he will he heavily involved at Worcestershire this season.

“It’s the same with Ed Barnard who will be ruled out by his Shrewsbury School commitments as well as games for probably Worcestershire and England under-19s too.

“But we’ve retained the squad which won the league and we’re looking forward to it.”

Shrewsbury’s opening match of the season will be a Graham Williamson Trophy tie at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday, April 12.

Ed Barnard bats for England in the U19 cricket world cup

Barnard can make England impact says Foster

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By Stuart Dunn at the Shrewsbury Chronicle

ED BARNARD, the rising Shrewsbury cricket star, has what it takes to make an exciting impact for England at the ICC Under-19 World Cup, says his proud club captain Rob Foster.

All-rounder Barnard, 18, is delighted to have been selected in the England squad for the prestigious tournament in the United Arab Emirates which begins tomorrow.

He is relishing the chance to line up alongside the best young cricketers from around the world.

Barnard will hope to feature in the England side for the opening group game against hosts UAE in Abu Dhabi tomorrow (Friday).

The young Lions then face further group matches in Dubai against Sri Lanka on Sunday and New Zealand next Tuesday.

Foster, who captains Barnard at Birmingham League champions Shrewsbury, said the teenager’s World Cup call was brilliant recognition both for the player and also the London Road club.

Barnard is a popular figure at Shrewsbury where his dad Andy is a former captain and chairman while his older brothers Mike and Steve are current first team regulars.

Foster said: “It’s an amazing opportunity for Ed to be playing in a World Cup and everyone at the club is really pleased for him.
“Jimmy Taylor has a long association with the club but had moved on to play his cricket for Kidderminster by the time he was involved with England under-19s.

“Ed’s grown up at Shrewsbury Cricket Club and it’s fantastic to see him doing so well. This is a great opportunity for him to line up against the best young players in the world.”

Foster stressed he expects Barnard to emerge as a key man for England in the tournament.

He added: “He’s very highly thought of in the England set up having captained the under-19s a couple of times in the Tri-Series against UAE and Pakistan just before Christmas.

“He’s seen as a senior player so I would expect him to play and hopefully he’ll go well.

“I’ll certainly be watching how he does with interest.”

Shrewsbury School pupil Barnard, who used to attend the town’s Meole Brace School,  flew out to Dubai with the England squad at the start of this month.

He is no stranger to the international scene having not looked back since hitting a century on his England under-19 debut against South Africa in Cape Town just over a year ago.

A back injury meant he was ruled out for 12 weeks of the last domestic season but he returned in time to play a couple of games for Shrewsbury in the closing weeks of the campaign.

He also proved his fitness to the England selectors by captaining the under-17s in two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka.
Barnard has been part of the England Development Programme for the last three years and recently signed a new two-year contract with Worcestershire CCC as he eyes a breakthrough to the first class game.