Mike Barnard (sportsman)

Henry Michael Barnard (18 July 1933 – 18 December 2018) was an English first-class cricketer and professional footballer. As a cricketer, he represented Hampshire in 276 first-class matches and played an important part in helping Hampshire to win their first County Championship in 1961. As a predominantly middle order batsman, he scored over 9,000 runs for Hampshire. In football, he made 116 appearances in the Football League as an inside forward for Portsmouth, scoring 24 goals. He also played non-League football for Gosport Borough, Chelmsford City, and Poole Town.

Early life
Henry Michael Barnard was born on 18 July 1933 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, the youngest of four sons of the hotelier and garage proprietor Robert Barnard. His was a second generation Jewish family, descended from the Rabbi Daniel Barnard, who had emigrated to England from Prague in 1782. During the Second World War, he moved with his family to the nearby town of Havant to escape the threat posed by the Portsmouth Blitz. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School, where he was noted as being a talented sportsman in cricket, football, and rugby union. He won several local and national accolades in all three sports as a youth.

Cricket career
Barnard was a member of Hampshire's first colts side in 1949, coached by Arthur Holt. He joined the staff at Hampshire in 1951, prior to embarking on two years of national service in the British Army. He made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire in the 1952 County Championship against Glamorgan at Swansea, with a second appearance following in the 1953 County Championship against Warwickshire at Portsmouth; in the latter match, he made a pair. His breakthrough into the Hampshire team came under unusual circumstances in 1954. When attending the County Ground at Southampton for the opening day of a County Championship match against Middlesex, a phone call was received from the Hampshire off-spinner Charles Knott to say he had been detained at his fishmonger's business and was unable to play in the match. As a result, Barnard was called into the Hampshire team. He came into bat with Hampshire 48 for 8, with batting having proven difficult. Barnard launched a counter-attack against the Middlesex attack, top-scoring with a fluent 39. He added 24 runs in Hampshire's second innings, and although Hampshire lost the match, his performance gained him a regular place in the Hampshire first eleven. In Hampshire's following match against the touring Pakistanis at Portsmouth, Barnard scored his maiden first-class century by making an unbeaten 101 in Hampshire's second innings, watched by his brother and father. He was the first Englishman to score a century against the Pakistanis, on what was their first tour to England. He made fourteen first-class appearances in 1954, scoring 394 runs.

By the 1955 season, Barnard had established himself in the Hampshire middle order, becoming an integral member of an increasingly successful team. His 27 first-class appearances in 1955 saw him score 908 runs, with him making a second century; he also earned his county cap during the 1955 season. He played fewer games (22) the following season, but did make his highest first-class score, with an unbeaten 128 against the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord's. Between 1956 and 1959, his returns were modest, though he did not make any further centuries during that period. Barnard had a poor start to the 1961 season, scoring just 154 runs in ten innings and subsequently lost his place in the Hampshire team. However, a back injury to Hampshire captain Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie saw him return to the side, with Barnard encountering his best form as a player. Hampshire spent most of the season competing with defending champions Yorkshire for their first County Championship title. Barnard played a series of noteworthy innings, most notably scoring an aggressive 114 against Warwickshire in mid-August, which sent Hampshire top of the table. He followed this up with half centuries against Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. In a title-deciding match against Derbyshire at Bournemouth, he scored 61 runs and shared in a partnership of 99 with Peter Sainsbury, helping to set a target which Derbyshire were unable to reach and handed Hampshire their first County Championship title. His return for the 1961 season was 661 runs at an average of 28.73, which was to be his highest season average.

Encouraged by Hampshire's Championship success and his own personal form, he went onto have his most successful season in his first-class career in 1962, when he scored 1,114 runs at an average of 27.17 from 29 matches. His good form continued into 1963, with 980 runs at an average of 25.12 from 27 matches. Barnard was a member of Hampshire's team for their inaugural appearance in List A one-day cricket against Derbyshire in the 1963 Gillette Cup, with Barnard making 98 runs batting at number three. He once again had successful seasons with the bat in 1964 and 1965, scoring 814 and 953 runs respectively; he made his final first-class century during the 1965 season, making an "attractive" 123 opening the batting against the touring Australians. His form fell away dramatically in the 1966 season, with 233 runs at an average of 14.56 from eleven matches. He played the 1967 season in the Second Eleven and had a testimonial season in 1968, but did not play first-class or one-day cricket for Hampshire after the 1966 season.

In total, Barnard made 276 first-class and nine one-day appearances. He was described as a "strongly built and powerful right-handed [batsman]" who commanded "elegant and economical" movement and was particularly strong off the back foot, and was always keen to seize on any deliveries bowled just short of a length. In 276 first-class matches, he scored 9,314 runs at an average of 22.07; he made six centuries, alongside 46 half centuries. He was noted as being a fielder of "high class", particularly close-in to the batsman and at slip. His 312 catches are, as of, the tenth-highest by a Hampshire fielder (excluding wicket-keepers). He was, on occasion, utilised as a part-time medium pace bowler, taking 16 wickets in first-class cricket. In nine one-day matches, he scored 315 runs at an average of 39.37, while also taking eight catches. The Daily Telegraph noted that he did not score the amount of runs throughout his career that he perhaps should have, with The Independent echoing a similar sentiment by suggesting that he had not fully fulfilled the "rich promise" of his early years. Barnard himself was pragmatic about his shortcomings, admitting that he suffered from occasional lapses in concentration.

Football career
Barnard started his football career in 1950, playing as an inside forward in non-League football for Gosport Borough. He signed for First Division club Portsmouth in August 1951 after being spotted playing for Gosport. In Portsmouth, he joined a club which had won the First Division in the 1948–49 and 1949–50 seasons. Barnard made his Portsmouth debut on 26 December 1953 in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the 1953–54 First Division, and helped Portsmouth finish third the following season, with Barnard making 30 appearances that season and scoring five goals.

One of his best performances came in a 5–4 home victory over Arsenal in the 1958–59 First Division, in which he scored a goal. The 1958–59 season ultimately saw Portsmouth relegated to the Second Division. He left Portsmouth at the end of that season to focus on his cricket career. He scored 26 goals from 123 first-team appearances in all competitions, with 24 from 116 in the Football League. He continued to play football, albeit at non-League level, signing for Chelmsford City in 1959, with the club able to match Portsmouth's £20 a week wage. His last season in football came with Poole Town in 1963–64.

Later life
After the end of his first-class cricket career, Barnard became a mature student at King Alfred's College in Winchester. He intended to go into coaching following his playing career, and was earmarked to coach the Second Eleven and succeed Leo Harrison as Hampshire head coach. However, while on a cricket tour of British Army bases in West Germany, he was seriously injured when his minibus driver fell asleep at the wheel. The resultant crash broke his neck and gave him severe spinal injuries, which afflicted him for the rest of his life. He recovered sufficiently to coach cricket at the Warsash School of Navigation, while also working as a commentator for BBC Radio Solent and Southampton Hospitals. He later organised reunions between Portsmouth footballers and Hampshire cricketers.

Barnard died on 18 December 2018 in Southampton, Hampshire, following a stroke. His wife, Theresa, predeceased him in 2001. He was survived by their two sons and one daughter. He was considered to be the greatest all-round sportsman the city of Portsmouth has ever produced. Paying tribute following his death, then Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said "he was an indelible part of Hampshire cricket history".