Conversation so far:
What was Sydney Barnes doing in 1888?
Barnes' career began in 1888 when he was fifteen and played for a small club which had a ground behind the Galton Hotel in Smethwick.
What was the club Sydney Barnes played for in 1888?
Smethwick Cricket Club
Did Sydney Barnes do well for Smethwick in 1888?
In due course, he was selected for the second team and had earned a place in the first team, playing in the Birmingham and District Premier League.

Question: What year did he join Smethwick Cricket Club?
Self-contained rewrite: What year did Sydney Barnes join Smethwick Cricket Club?