BEN BARKER - GB- Date of Birth: 10/03/88 British career history: Oxford (2003-05, CL), Trelawny (2003, CT), Coventry (2004, CT), Exeter (2005), Somerset (2006), Stoke (2006, CL), Stoke (2007-08), Coventry (2008-present)
BEN became a full asset of the club midway through the 2008 season after some sterling performances in the No.8 role.
He hails from Truro in Cornwall, like Chris Harris, and has seen his career take a major step forward in the last two years, initially in the Premier League.
Ben’s scoring increased substantially during 2007 when he joined Stoke, and he was selected to be the Bees' No.8 in 2008. He picked up a large number of bookings due to injuries and unavailability in the lower-order - and it would not be stretching a point to say that the Bees looked a much stronger unit when he was present.
GP riders Fredrik Lindgren and Lukas Dryml were amongst his notable scalps at Brandon, whilst at Belle Vue he astonishingly defeated double World Champion Jason Crump on merit.
He saved his best for last by scoring a remarkable 14 points at Lakeside in the first leg of the Craven Shield Final - followed by a 12-point maximum in the Brandon return!
He moved into the Elite League full-time with the Bees in 2009 and started the season well before suffering a broken leg in a World Under-21 qualifier, ruling him out for three months. However, he showed no ill effects on his return with a spectacular sequence of scores - and despite the long lay-off, he was named the club's Rider Of The Year, having impressively put his average up by over two and a half points.
NEXT HOME MEETING
Next meeting at Brandon Stadium... Thurs Sept 9 at 7.30pm ELITE LEAGUE BUILDBASE BEES v POOLE
