Barwell played first for Somerset in 1959 in a match against the Combined Services, keeping wicket and making the only stumping of his first-class career.
[5] He appeared in Somerset's losing Gillette Cup side of 1967, being run out for 24 in what Wisden termed "a fearful mix-up" with Graham Burgess.
In second eleven cricket, Barwell was a reliable and prolific scorer, acting as batsman, occasional wicketkeeper, sometime captain and, more rarely, bowler.
His final match for the combined Gloucestershire and Somerset Second Eleven side in 1968 saw him make 45 out of 54 added while he was at the wicket in a first innings that totalled only 78, top-score in the second innings with 68 and then take four wickets for 14 runs as the combined side recovered to force a draw with Kent's second eleven.
In 1973, he made a single final first-class cricket appearance for the Minor Counties side against the West Indies at Torquay.