Bears all-rounder Ed Barnard has been installed as Warwickshire’s Vice Captain for the 2024 season.
The appointment caps a standout first season for Barnard – who scored 1,179 runs last summer and took 41 wickets across all formats – having joined from neighbours Worcestershire on a three-year contract.
The 28-year-old will support new Club Captain Alex Davies both on and off the field.
Barnard said he’s flattered and “a little surprised” at getting the vote to be Davies’ number two given the wealth of experience in the Warwickshire dressing room.
“It was put to me on the pre-season tour and naturally I’m honoured to be asked,” he said. “It wasn’t something that had been on my radar as there are players with bags of experience in the squad and some natural leaders who would have been great choices.
“It’s a huge privilege to be asked to be Vice Captain at such a big club, especially after just one season. I built up a good relationship with Davo last year, we work well together, and I’ll be here to offer whatever support or advice I can throughout the season.
“I’m not the most vocal in the dressing room! We have some big characters. But I like to think I’ve got a good cricketing brain, I’m a bit of a badger, I like my cricketing stats, and I’m not shy in coming forward with an opinion when needed.
“A lot has happened for me in the last 14 months! I’ve loved every minute of being here. It was a big change, a big move, and I’ll be pushing myself to do even more this season and hopefully contributing to a trophy win.”
Barnard was named the Metro Bank One Day Cup Player of the Year in 2023 after he top scored in the competition with 616 runs.
He took 29 wickets in the County Championship including his first Bears’ five-fer (5-66) at Surrey.
Davies added: “I’m looking forward to working closely with Ed. Since his move across ‘enemy lines’ he’s epitomised what it means to be a Bear. We have a lot of lads who do that…but we felt with Ed’s previous experience of captaining, alongside his temperament and respect within the dressing room, made him perfect for the role.
“He’s very good tactically and, at 28, a senior member of our side. I felt it was a good time for him to take on the Vice Captain challenge. I had a little bit of time doing it with Will and we’ve spoken about what comes with the role. Ed will do it 100 per cent his own way and I’ve no doubt he’ll be brilliant and grow as a person and a player with it.”
Born in Shrewsbury, Ed developed through the Worcestershire Academy and went on to harvest 4,890 runs and 370 wickets for the Pears. In 2022, he was the county’s leading first-class run scorer with 895 runs at an average of 60.
In total, Barnard has played 286 matches in his career across all formats – scoring 6,604 runs (33.61 and 39.41, respectively, in FC and List A) – and taking 427 wickets.
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