In 1900, Barnes left Rishton and joined Burnley Cricket Club, also in the Lancashire League. He did not represent Lancashire that season but reappeared in 1901 when he made two Second XI appearances against Yorkshire's Second XI and one County Championship match, the last match of the season in late August against Leicestershire at Old Trafford. This was a rain-interrupted draw but Barnes scored 32 runs and then took six for 70 in the Leicestershire first innings, reducing them to an all-out 140 in response to Lancashire's total of 328–8 declared. Lancashire wanted Barnes to sign for them in 1902 but Barnes, always financially aware, was unsure as he considered first-class county cricket to be "a great deal of hard work for relatively little money" and he liked his arrangement with Burnley supplementing his full-time job.