Barnard Castle Cricket Club
TWO Yorkshire all-rounders will spearhead Barnard Castle’s campaign to win their third NYSD League title in five seasons.
Karl Carver, who has played eight Championship matches, and Eddie Barnes, an England under-19 player, have signed as the club’s professionals for the 2020 summer.
They will be joined by James Clarkson, a former league player of the year with Richmond, and Australian teenager Harry Austin, who will be the overseas amateur.
Michael Stanwix, Barney’s director of cricket, said: “We’re delighted to have acquired so many top level signings and we are sure that with our high-class home-grown players they can help us to press for another title.
“The NYSD Premier Division is tough, as good as it gets in league cricket, but we have proven performers at the peak of the game.
“We needed to replace players who have left and we have done that by thoroughly looking at many options since the 2019 season closed.”
Carver, a left-arm-spinner, and fast bowler Barnes replace the outgoing Sri Lankan, Hashan Dumindu, and their fellow Yorkshireman, James Wainman, neither of whom are returning. Both are also likely to bat in the top six.
Austin, a 19-year-old opening batsman from Brisbane, comes in for Giles Creedon whose two year visa has expired. Clarkson, who has been playing for Studley Royal for a few seasons was the NYSD’s top player in 2011 when with Richmond, and will also open the batting.
The quartet should all buttress a high-quality bunch of local lads who have become more mature and experienced players, including James Quinn, the captain, Richard Borrowdale, Josh Bousfield and Rob Dixon, all of them high in the NYSD averages last season.
Barney finished third last summer after winning the title for the second time in the previous season and have not been out of the top four in the past five years.
They have also won the Kerridge Cup, the league’s major knockout competition, three times.
“Based on the lads who have learned their cricket in Barney, we have produced some really top teams in the last decade,” said Mr Stanwix.
“This is without question the most successful period in the club’s long history and we want to extend that into the future if we can. We think these new signings could be really significant ones.”
Carver, 23, is a spinner of pedigree. Although his Yorkshire contract has not been renewed his discipline makes it particularly hard to break through to the professional ranks. In addition to his eight first-class matches between 2015 and 2018 he has also played 23 limited overs games for the county.
Barnes, 22, is likely to prove a handful for league cricketers with his pace and bounce. He played two under 19 Test matches in a side that also included the Test batsman, Ollie Pope.
Although he has yet to make his Yorkshire first team debut, Barney know they are taking a slight risk. Barnes is highly thought of at the county and it seems only a matter of time before he is given his chance.
Carver and Barnes both played for Sheriff Hutton Bridge last season and played instrumental roles in their winning the Yorkshire Premier League title. Carver took 38 wickets at an average of 15.63 and Barnes, 23 at 15.90.
The new overseas amateur is the latest in a line of Queensland cricketers who have served Barney superbly following Creedon, Lachlan Pfeffer and Ben Turner. He has played mostly second grade so far for Ipswich Logan, near Brisbane, and averages more than 50 this Australian season. The recruitment of Clarkson may be as important as the others. He scored more than 800 runs in becoming 2011 player of the year and was also a key figure when they won the league title in 2012 and 2013.
Stephen Brenkley, club president, said: “This is really exciting stuff and to have our plans in place so early is equally gratifying.
“It’ll be tough, no doubt with old rivals Richmond, the new champions, and Great Ayton also likely to be prominent again but with James Quinn leading us again with Josh Bousfield’s support we have every reason to be confident.
“The 2020 season can’t come soon enough.”
