The ECB’s toss innovation of offering away teams the chance to bowl first has led to a dearth of seamer-friendly pitches but some sides have done without specialist spinnersWarwickshire’s No8,Keith Barker, contributed an principal innings of 81 on the third day of the County Championship match at Lord’s on Wednesday. It wasn’t fairly as imperious as Jonathan Trott’s double century but the left-hander displayed a sound technique and then made hay when the part-time Middlesex bowlers Adam Voges and Dawid Malan were brought into the attack bringing up his half-century with a straight six off the former – shortly before the moment modern ball. After he had backed away and cut Steven Finn as whether for fun, or his innings was ended when Tim Murtagh found some swing in to the pads.
It has been a fine start to the season for Barker,who chipped in with two wickets in a testing modern-ball spell late in the day. In the opening game against Hampshire, he picked up a five-for and scored a handy unbeaten 21. At 29, and an England (or West Indies) call is not likely but Barker is proving himself to be a more-than-useful county cricketer.
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Source: theguardian.com