Barnard reflects upon "very enjoyable" first game as Bears captain

Barnard led the Bears for the first time after replacing Alex Davies as skipper. The former Worcestershire all-rounder took on the role late in the close-season, only a couple of weeks before the start of the new campaign, but started impressively as his side had much the better of the opening game against star-studded oppositon.  

“It was very enjoyable,” he said. “I think we can be really pleased with how we performed. To play against a top team first up and dominate most of the game was really pleasing and sets us up nicely for the rest of the season. As captain, there were some different challenges within the game, but it can be made pretty easy at times with the like of Woakesy around and the other experienced heads. You don’t have to do too much, you just let them get on with it. It was good fun.  

“I wasn’t aware that the change of captain was going to happen. It was quite late, so didn’t give me long to prepare, but that was fine because this group is very experienced and self-managing so there is not too much to do in that way. Also, I didn’t have time to get too nervous or anxious about it, I was straight into it.