Your England debut is something you will remember forever – but for Sonny Baker it is something he will probably wish to forget.
The fast bowler and Ashes prospect was handed his chance against South Africa in the first ODI at Headingley on Tuesday and proceeded to suffer a golden duck before being flogged for 76 runs from a wicketless seven overs as the tourists coasted to victory.
Baker shipped 56 from his first four overs as Proteas opener Aiden Markam gave him a stark realisation of how brutal the international game can be if you are even marginally off.
Baker was thrashed for 12 fours and two sixes at Leeds as South Africa – mainly Aiden Markram – took him apart
Here is how the 22-year-old’s eye-watering first spell panned out…
Baker’s first England spell – four overs of carnage
Over 1 (14 runs conceded)
Over 0.1 – Solid line and length to start as Markram defends. Dot.Over 0.2 – Strays leg-side and is clipped away for four.Over 0.3 – Markram drills to mid-on for a couple of runs.Over 0.4 – Short and wide and Markram creams four over the off-side.Over 0.5 – Four more as Markram smashes a full ball through the covers.Over 0.6 – A rare quiet delivery as Baker hits Markram on the pads. Dot.
Over 2 (20 runs conceded)
Over 2.1 – A wide down the leg-side. Reload and go again, Sonny.Over 2.1 – Another wide down the leg-side. Third time lucky perhaps?Over 2.1 – Outside off stump from Baker, four for Markram through long-off.Over 2.2 – Markram defends a length ball back to Baker. Dot.Over 2.3 – SIX over deep backward point.Over 2.4 – Not middled by Markram but he takes two, hitting over mid-on.Over 2.5 – SIX over deep backward square leg.Over 2.6 – Good response from Baker, striking Markram on the body. Dot.
Over 3 (10 runs conceded)
Over 4.1 – Ryan Rickelton joins the Baker-bashing party, square driving for four.Over 4.2 – Better from Baker, inducing a leading edge into the off-side. Dot.Over 4.3 – A second scoreless delivery in a row as Rickelton edges short of slip.Over 4.4 – Baker errs again, going full and on the pads as Rickelton clips for four.Over 4.5 – Rickelton drives a pitched-up delivery to mid-on for a single.Over 4.6 – Markram drills a single into the covers.
Over 4 (12 runs conceded)
Over 6.1 – Dot. Markram skews to mid-on after a tinny connection off the batOver 6.2 – Overpitched from Baker, arrowed to the cover fence for four by MarkramOver 6.3 – Dot as Markram defendsOver 6.4 – Dot again as Markram defends againOver 6.5 – Markram has had enough of this defending nonsense. A straight four.Over 6.6 – Four through the covers as Markram clinches 23-ball fifty
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England captain Harry Brook and South Africa batter Markram praise Baker after his tough day in Leeds
‘The way Baker gave 100 per cent was awesome’
At that point Baker was withdrawn from the attack but he would return to bowl the 12th over, one which began with five dot deliveries to Markram before a wide and a single.
He also bowled the 14th and 16th overs and although he was clubbed for three more boundaries across those, one of the fours came via a loose top edge from Rickelton.
You could only commend Baker for the way he fought back from his chastening first taste of this level, with his captain Harry Brook and the man responsible for his expensive figures, Markram, both giving the Hampshire seamer their seal of approval.
Brook said: “Baker got a bit of tap at the start but the way he kept trucking in and giving 100 per cent was awesome to see. That’s what we ask for from our bowlers.”
Markram added: “There has been some really good talk about him and his ability. If he has got it on a string, he will be really good bowler for sure.”
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Speaking to Sky Sports before play, Baker chatted about bowling fast, James Anderson and the upcoming Ashes series
‘Bowling fast is the most fun thing about the sport’
The talent Baker has – the ability to move the ball at high pace – should help him rebound from this tough start but more so his character, which was in evidence during a successful Hundred stint with Manchester Originals last month.
Joe Root, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Jonny Bairstow and Steve Smith were some of the game’s leading lights to be put under the pump by Baker during that competition.
He had them “on toast” to use Brook’s words.
And you could tell from Baker’s interview with Michael Atherton on the morning of his England debut that he might have the personality required for the big leagues.
Baker will hope to bounce back if he plays in Thursday’s second ODI at Lord’s
In a bubbly, down-to-earth chat, he revealed he thought the call announcing his selection for this series was fake and spoke about how having Warner et al hopping around in The Hundred had given him confidence as he steps up again.
He also chatted about picking the brains of England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker James Anderson during Originals duty and insisted he wasn’t getting caught up in Ashes fever just yet: “Selection is nothing to do with me, I just try and do what I do.”
But what really shone through was Baker’s love of the battle – and bowling quickly.
“Bowling fast is the most fun thing about the sport. It’s exciting. There’s a reason Jofra Archer has such a following, Mark Wood similar.
“That’s how I want to be, how I want to bowl. I attribute a lot of my speed to the fact I really want to do it.
“As a fast bowler you are going to go for runs and get injured but that’s okay as long as you are at peace with that.
“That comes with the fun part of making people duck and knocking poles out of the ground.”
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Watch Baker’s hat-trick for Manchester Originals in The Hundred this summer, which came against Brook’s Northern Superchargers
‘Baker will be better for chastening debut’
The beaming smile on Baker’s face disappeared somewhat as he was being carted around by Markram.
England perhaps did not help by giving him the first over with the Proteas chasing only a measly 132 after a dismal batting collapse for the hosts of 8-49 from 82-2.
But the positives were Baker’s attitude and the fact that he now knows what the international arena is all about.
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Highlights from Leeds as England were thrashed by South Africa in the one-day international series opener
Ex-South Africa seamer Shaun Pollock added of Baker: “He has the raw ingredients. He gets the ball to move and that is probably the most difficult thing to teach a person who bowls at such high speed.
“This is a learning experience and he will definitely be better for it. You can tell him about the difference in intensity and quality until you are red in the face but he will only understand it now.
“He will realise he has to be more consistent, not offer up balls easy to put away. He has energy and enthusiasm but that only takes you so far. You need skill and control.”
Watch England’s second ODI against South Africa, at Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 12.30pm on Thursday (1pm first ball) or stream contract-free with NOW.
