Chichester ace set for Ashes cricket duels

He’s well-known as one of Chichester’s longest-serving sporting all-rounders.
And Andy Barnes’ next mission will see him head off in searching of cricketing success down under.
As vice-captain of the England over-70s cricket team, Barnes is off to Australia at the start of next week.
The squad will be on tour for four weeks, playing five one-day internationals and four other state games, touring both east and west coasts of Australia.
Barnes, a right-hand batsman and off-spin bowler, played club cricket for Chichester and Middleton in the Sussex League for 25 years.
He captained Sussex’s over-50 and over-60 cricket sides over a 15-year period and has also skippered an England cricket over-60s team to victory over Wales.
But it’s not only on the cricket field that Barnes has had a long and glittering career – he is a very good hockey player too.
He played 194 times for Sussex’s hockey team – a county record – and coached England Hockey’s over-60s and 65s to gold medals in Hong Kong and Cape Town, beating Australia in both finals.
He has had coaching and playing duties with the England over-70s hockey team since 2015. They gained silver medals when beaten on penalties by hosts Australia in the 2015 World Cup.
Barnes, well-known locally as part of the family who run Game, Set and Match sport retailers in Quarry Lane, Chichester.
He coached East Grinstead from 1992 to 1997 and Reading 1998 to 1999, with an England Hockey Cup victory and National Premier League experience all on his CV.
Steve Bone, Sports Editor, Chichester Observer.