Background
Barker was born in Manchester to Caribbean parents. His father Keith Barker, Senior played cricket for British Guiana and came over to Britain to be overseas professional for Lancashire league side Enfield Club in 1965.
cricketer association football player
Barker was born in Manchester to Caribbean parents. His father Keith Barker, Senior played cricket for British Guiana and came over to Britain to be overseas professional for Lancashire league side Enfield Club in 1965.
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 Street Patrick"s Athletic and Northwich Victoria before moving into cricket.
Barker"s godfather is former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd. Barker also played for Enfield and was offered a contract by Lancashire, but he decided to play football with Blackburn Rovers.
He also scored four times in seven Premier Reserve League North appearances. In 2005-2006 he scored 4 times in 11 appearances for the reserves, before being loaned to Belgian feeder club Cercle Brugge in January 2006.
He never appeared for their first team
On 31 August 2006 Barker joined League Two side Rochdale on a three-month loan. He made his professional debut two days later, playing the full 90 minutes in their 1–1 draw with Hereford United at Spotland. 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.
Barker joined Irish club Street Patrick"s Athletic in the summer of 2007 after being released by Blackburn.
On 3 January 2008 he joined Conference National side Northwich Victoria on a free transfer. 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. Barker continued to play for Enfield, where he was spotted by former England coach David Lloyd, whose son plays for Accrington.
On Lloyd"s recommendation he was watched by Warwickshire second team coach Keith Piper, and subsequently offered a trial.
In August 2008 he was signed on a contract until 2010, after impressing in the second team 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.
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. Barker is eligible for England and the West Indies, as his father was born in Barbados.
