A strong, tall cricketer standing 6 ft 1, Fred Barratt was a fast right-arm bowler who, though he used only a ten-pace run, made the ball lift off the pitch by dint of his high action and powerful shoulders. He had the traditional fast bowler's reputation as a batsman, striking the ball hard and high, often to devastating effect.
Joining the Nottinghamshire XI for the first match of 1914 v MCC at Lord's in May, Barratt showed great potential by returning a first inning analysis of 35.3-13-91-8, the best ever recorded by a Nottinghamshire player on debut.
Barratt continued in fine form throughout the 1914 season and had he had more support from the other Nottinghamshire bowlers his figures for the year would have no doubt been better than they were. Even so he became the first Nottinghamshire cricketer to capture 100 wickets in his maiden season for the County. He took 100 wickets or more in 1914, 1922, 1928 and 1929.
Barratt's great year was 1928, in that he completed 1,000 runs for the first time and also took 100 wickets, thus becoming the first player since John Gunn to perform the double for Nottinghamshire. It was during this season that he hit forty-six 6s and in 1929 he was nearly as successful with 39, although his run aggregate was 300 less than in the former year.
Against Middlesex at Trent Bridge in 1924 he took three wickets in four balls and against Sussex sent a bail 38 yards in the process of bowling a batsman out.
He was chosen to visit Australia and New Zealand in 1929-30 but it cannot be said that he showed much form, though v South Australia he took 9 wickets for 93 in the match. He played in all four Test matches v New Zealand, the series being ruined by the rain. Barratt had three innings, scored 26 runs and took three wickets at a cost of 197.
Born on 12 April 1894 in Annesley, he passed away on 29 January 1947 in Nottingham.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 314