After over fifteen years of involvement with the Club, Worcestershire can confirm the departure of all-rounder Ed Barnard.
The 26-year-old will stay with the Pears for the remainder of the season as we continue our bid for success in the LV=Insurance County Championship and Royal London Cup.
Barnard was offered a new contract by Worcestershire but has instead signed a three-year deal with Warwickshire from next summer.
Another product of our youth academy, Barnard has been a regular member of the first team for seven years, making over 200 appearances so far for Worcestershire, scoring over 4,000 runs and taking more than 300 wickets across all formats.
Barnard made his Worcestershire debut in 2015 and was part of the Club’s success in winning the County Championship Division Two title in 2017 and the Vitality Blast in 2018.
Worcestershire Head Coach, Alex Gidman, said: “It’s obviously disappointing for our Club, but we wish Ed well for the future.
“He has made significant progress in the last few years at Worcestershire and has become an integral part of our team in all formats.
“Ed wants to finish the season very well with us, and we look forward to enjoying our last few months with him before he moves on.”
Worcestershire Cricket Steering Group Chairman Paul Pridgeon, who first worked with Barnard as a 12-year-old at Shrewsbury School, added: “We’re very disappointed that Ed has chosen to go and play his cricket elsewhere.
“I have worked with Ed for a long time and seen him develop as a cricketer.
“As a Club through our academy, we work hard to help local players get the best out of their ability and are extremely proud of our record in producing first class cricketers.”
Ed Barnard Commented, “I will be forever thankful to everyone involved with Worcestershire from back in my academy time to the present day.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunities to represent this terrific Club and develop into the cricketer I am today.
“I will always cherish the friendships and special memories made on and off the cricket pitch.”
