Sporting Bygones: Phenomenon of Barnes draws in huge crowds to Yorkshire

Sir Don Bradman would be the popular choice for the first accolade but the second would demand a lengthier debate and one of the leading candidates would be a tall, taciturn right-arm medium-paced genius born at Smethwick in Staffordshire in 1873 who, for nine glorious summers, drew huge crowds to one of Yorkshire's most picturesque grounds to forget for a few hours the trauma of the Great War.

Sydney Francis Barnes was his name, Roberts Park was the venue and Saltaire was the club with the foresight to engage a man known throughout the game as "SF". Barnes was a phenomenon and an enigma.

He made his Test debut at Sydney in December, 1901 and claimed five wickets in Australia's first innings as England won by an innings and 124 runs. He had earned his place on the tour as a triallist at Lancashire, bowling one spell in the nets at Archie MacLaren, England's captain, and hitting the great man on the thigh with a ball which reared from a length.

"Sorry, sir" said Barnes in the deferential tones expected after such effrontery. "Don't worry," responded MacLaren, "you are coming to Australia with me."

Bradman would later say that he had heard of Barnes's amazing talent but would rate Bill O'Reilly a better bowler, because the Australian had perfected the googly, a delivery not in Barnes's armoury. Barnes accepted the failing but quickly countered: "I didn't bowl the googly because I didn't need to."

Barnes broke down with a muscle strain in the third Test of that 1901-02 series and did not play for England between 1902 and 1907. Not for him the hours of train travel criss-crossing the country for county matches, despite the success he enjoyed in the summer of 1902 when he took over 100 wickets at 20 runs apiece. He left Lancashire following a contract dispute at the end of the 1903 season.

Barnes knew the value of his ability and although he would play 27 Tests – the last in Durban in February 1914 when he claimed 14 wickets in the match – taking 189 wickets at 16.43, his calling was league cricket and coaching.

He had spent nine seasons playing for Porthill in the North Staffordshire League, taking 893 wickets at an average of 5.28, when Saltaire made their approach ahead of the 1915 season.

Bradford League clubs at the time had no limit on the number of professionals they could employ and with stars like Jack Hobbs, Wilfred Rhodes and Frank Woolley earning decent money by travelling round the Bradford circuit, Barnes had a glint in his eye as he spoke to the deputation who had travelled from Saltaire.

Terms were eventually agreed guaranteeing Barnes 3.50 per match plus travelling expenses; the following season, when Barnes moved to Saltaire, they gave him 10 to cover removal costs. Such was his success, Barnes negotiated a doubling of his match fee for 1916 then, in 1921, his earnings rose to 9 per match. In addition, he was given a benefit every season up to 1921 and enjoyed talent money – as well as collections from the crowd – for taking five wickets or scoring a half-century.

He was also working in Shipley, was for a while coach at Bradford Grammar School and also gave private tuition to young cricketers.

Saltaire could afford to pay him so well because of the crowds he drew to Roberts Park and to the grounds Saltaire visited.

Bowling Old Lane welcomed a League record audience of 6,400 for Saltaire's visit in 1923 while the 1918 Priestley Cup final between Saltaire and Bankfoot drew an attendance of 13,320 who witnessed a match which finished with the teams tied on 99 runs each. The replay at Bowling Old Lane was watched by 10,069 with Barnes and Saltaire taking the trophy. Even more impressive was the gate of 14,179 to watch the 1921 final between Saltaire and Keighley at Park Avenue, a figure which was claimed a world record for a one-day match in club cricket.

Barnes was at times unplayable, three times taking all 10 wickets, twice recording hat-tricks and once, against Baildon in 1915, taking five wickets in five deliveries. He won the Bradford League bowling averages in each of his nine seasons with the club between 1915-23 and in 1922 took 122 wickets for 501 runs, averaging 4.10 per wicket.

When he left Roberts Park – to take up a "business venture" – on July 14, 1923 he had bowled 2,059 overs for the club, taking 904 wickets at 5.26 but it would be wrong to suggest he was "only" a bowler; his best score for Saltaire was 168 against Baildon in 1918.

Barnes died at the age of 94 on Boxing Day, 1967 at Chadsmoor, Staffordshire, and remains the only man to have represented England while playing league cricket.