Bob Barber

Who is Bob Barber?

Robert William Barber is a former English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University, Lancashire and Warwickshire from 1954 to 1969. He also played 28 Test matches for England. He was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1967. An outstanding schoolboy cricketer at Ruthin School, Barber initially struggled to gain a place whilst at Cambridge after making his debut in 1955. Scoring 1000 runs for the first time in 1959, Barber was made captain of Lancashire.

Hampered by an intrusive committee and hostile crowd, Barber was perceived as not making the best of his own abilities, particularly as a leg spinner, though in a team boasting Test leg spinner Tommy Greenhough and useful allrounders in Grieves and Booth, both of whom were wrist spinners, Barber found it difficult to earn a place. He was replaced by Joe Blackledge in 1962, who met with no greater success as the county fell apart and endured a difficult season. Joining Warwickshire, Barber was encouraged to play his shots and began to play regularly for England as an opening batsman. His greatest innings, and his only Test century, was made in the Third Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1965-66. He made 185 off 255 balls and added 234 in even time with Geoff Boycott for the first wicket. It remains the highest score by an Englishman on the opening day of an Ashes Test. E.W. Swanton wrote: