Keith Barker: Warwickshire offer an 'afterthought', says Hampshire-bound paceman
- Published
Warwickshire left-armer Keith Barker began life in professional sport as a footballer with Blackburn Rovers
Warwickshire's Hampshire-bound left-arm fast bowler Keith Barker says the Bears' offer to keep him at Edgbaston simply came too late.
Barker, 31, signed last week for Hampshire on a two-year contract.
"It felt like a bit of an afterthought being offered something," he said.
"I didn't think there was going to be anything offered. By the time there was I'd pretty much signed with Hampshire. It was just a case of making sure I had a club to go to - and an income."
Knowing that Barker's existing contract was set to expire at the end of the 2018 season, Warwickshire's plan was to sit down and talk then.
But his departure ended up being announced during the lunch interval of what proved to be the final day of their Division Two title-clinching win over Kent.
Barker told BBC Sport: "I didn't really see me leaving. But maybe one or two people had their minds made up on me, so it was a case of looking at other options.
"And I was really happy to be offered something by Hampshire. I'm sure they're going to be a great club to play for."
Hampshire had a bowling attack dominated by overseas players over the second half of this season, with Kyle Abbott and former West Indies Test paceman Fidel Edwards as Kolpak players to supplement South Africa's Dale Steyn.
Barker has 359 first-class wickets, most of which were taken in Division One of the Championship during his 10 years at Edgbaston. The highlight was helping Warwickshire to win the 2012 County Championship title.
Warwickshire had already made two signings in their pace department for next season prior to the departure of Barker and fellow stalwart Chris Wright to Leicestershire.
Gloucestershire pair Liam Norwell and Craig Miles will supplement an attack which already includes England's Chris Woakes, when available, England winter tour party pick Olly Stone, Australian Ryan Sidebottom, one-day specialist Oliver Hannon Dalby, highly-rated teenager Henry Brookes and England Under-19s' George Panayi.
Meanwhile, former Bears captain Ian Bell, who finished top of the Division Two averages with 1,027 runs at an average of 54.05, was voted both members' player of the season and players' player of the season at the club's end-of-season dinner.
Keith Barker was talking to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire's Clive Eakin.
- Published26 September 2018
