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Liam Norwell, the former Warwickshire seamer whose final-day heroics saved the club from relegation in 2022, has been advised to retire on medical grounds after failing to recover from a series of long-standing injuries.Norwell, 32, was released by Warwickshire in August, having not made a single senior appearance since taking a career-best 9 for 62 at Edgbaston in September 2022, to beat Hampshire by five runs in a thrilling County Championship climax.His efforts kept Warwickshire in the top flight at Yorkshire’s expense, and he was rewarded with a two-year contract extension in March 2023. However, he missed that year’s entire campaign after suffering a back injury in pre-season, and though he returned to action in four second XI games in June 2024, he tore his pectoral muscle in the last of those against Worcestershire.After undergoing another operation, his contract with Warwickshire was terminated by mutual consent. Warwickshire Performance Director Gavin Larsen said at the time: “I’m gutted for Liam because I know how hard he’s tried and trained to get back to full fitness. He’s been close to making a return on a few occasions but not quite got over the line.”After finally overcoming the back injury he suffered terrible luck by tearing his pec when he looked to be getting back to his best.”Genuinely quick on his day, Norwell took a total of 347 first-class wickets, including 94 for Warwickshire. He took 49 of those at an average of 18.21 in 2021, and was included in the England Lions tour of Australia that winter. He was named as a stand-by for England’s Test tour of the Caribbean the following spring, but later revealed that a family illness would have prevented him from answering the call.”I’ve really enjoyed my time as a Bear since joining and have shared in some great team successes and memories,” Norwell said back in August. “After finding the problem, and finally overcoming my back issues during the winter, I was hoping for a productive season and being able to return to my best.”I have worked incredibly hard but this significant injury, needing surgery, was very hard to overcome. My focus now is on getting fit and healthy again, and working out what is next for my family and I.”

Ishan Kishan’s return to red-ball cricket continues to gather steam with his selection in the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, which will be played in Lucknow from October 1 to 5.Kishan recently marked his first appearance in first-class cricket since July 2023 – a period notable for the loss of his BCCI central contract – with a century for India C in the Duleep Trophy.Kishan is one of two wicketkeepers in the squad, with Dhruv Jurel also picked subject to India not selecting him in the XI for their second Test against Bangladesh, which is set to be played in Kanpur from September 27 to October 1.Left-arm quick Yash Dayal and middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan, who are also part of the Test squad, have been picked in the RoI and Mumbai squads respectively, with the same caveat.Related

• Irani Cup moved from Mumbai to Lucknow

Mohammed Shami is a notable absentee from the RoI squad. Having not played any competitive cricket since last year’s 50-over World Cup, Shami was in contention to feature in at least one Duleep Trophy fixture to prove his match fitness. It seems now that his comeback is set to be delayed further, with him not part of the RoI squad.Shami himself is keen to give himself more time in rehab as he works his way back from an ankle surgery. The India fast bowler is keen to ease himself back up to the rigours of top-flight cricket in the Ranji Trophy beginning October 11. He has been named in Bengal’s list of probables for the season.The RoI squad features as many as four frontline openers – captain Gaikwad; Abhimanyu Easwaran, the second-highest run scorer in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy; Devdutt Padikkal; and B Sai Sudharsan.Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan have, however, recently embraced opportunities in the middle order. Padikkal batted at No. 4 on Test debut against England earlier this year in Dharamsala.Andhra’s Ricky Bhui and Baroda’s Shashwat Rawat have been rewarded for their Duleep Trophy form. Bhui top scored with 359 runs at an average of 71.80, with two hundreds and a half-century, while Rawat is coming off scores of 124 and 53 in his most recent outing for India A.RoI have picked a formidable pace attack that includes Prasidh Krishna, who recently made comeback from a quadriceps injury in the Duleep Trophy, alongside Mukesh Kumar and two left-arm quicks in Dayal and Khaleel Ahmed. Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain and Rahul Chahar are the spinners.Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane is set to lead a full-strength Mumbai squad that also features Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz. Rahane is coming off a steady diet of red-ball cricket for Leicestershire in the County Championship. There’s also comeback for India allrounder Shardul Thakur, who is fit again following foot surgery in June.Thakur, who picked up the injury during India’s tour of South Africa late last year, hasn’t played any professional cricket since IPL 2024. With a tour of Australia coming up, he will be hoping to bounce back into contention He last played for India in the first Test in Centurion in that South Africa series., before returning to perform for Mumbai during the Ranji knockouts.The match was originally to be held in Mumbai, but was moved out of the city due to the possibility of weather-related interruptions owing to the monsoons.

Squads for the Irani Cup

Rest of India: Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vice-capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk)*, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Saransh Jain, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal*, Ricky Bhui, Shashwat Rawat, Khaleel Ahmed, Rahul Chahar.Mumbai: Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Prithvi Shaw, Ayush Mhatre, Musheer Khan, Sarfaraz Khan*, Shreyas Iyer, Siddhesh Lad, Suryansh Shedge, Hardik Tamore (wk), Sidhaant Addhatrao (wk), Shams Mulani, Tanush Kotian, Himanshu Singh, Shardul Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, Mohammad Juned Khan, Royston Dias.*

Hampshire 424 for 8 dec (Prest 156, Albert 124, Brown 54, Critchley 5-96) drew with Essex 438 for 8 dec (Cox 141, Elgar 136, Westley 64) Centuries from Toby Albert and Tom Prest gave a glimpse of Hampshire’s batting future as their Vitality County Championship clash with Essex petered into a draw.Both homegrown batters in their early 20s, they each scored exceptional hundreds filling in – with Albert playing in place of the injured Ali Orr, and Prest elevated up the order with James Vince unable to bat in his usual position.The duo made sure Essex’s low chances of forcing 19 wickets needed for victory became non-existent, with career-best scores of 124 and 156 respectively. Matt Critchley claimed a late 5 for 96 as both teams took away 14 points – a haul that is unlikely to worry table-toppers Surrey in the fight for the title.Hampshire began the day on 40 for 1, and 398 runs in arrears, with the initial plan to avoid the follow-on, and then hunt for batting bonus points. It turned out the quest was a simple one.Albert, with Fletcha Middleton and Nick Gubbins, dead batted a way through the new ball the previous evening, on a pitch which offered zero help for the bowlers.The morning saw 106 runs for only the loss of Gubbins, for 30, after he tamely diverted to a catching midwicket following a 61-run stand with Albert.Albert, 21, has largely made the most of his chances at the top of the batting order, having replaced Orr – the former Sussex batter suffering a back injury and then a broken arm to curtail his season.He began with a maiden Championship century against Surrey in May, before impressing in the Vitality Blast – his batting styles vastly different between the formats.Albert, the son of two Olympic equestrians, reached his century in 199 balls, having cranked through the gears as the day progressed. He found a like-minded partner in Prest – who was initially due to bat at No. 7 before Vince suffered a niggle in the field, and due to his time off the pitch, wasn’t allowed to bat any higher.If Hampshire wanted a Vince doppelganger, they got it – both very watchable batters, who pace their innings seemingly for the enjoyment of the crowd.Prest had fully announced himself, after a couple of promising T20 campaigns, with a century against Essex at the Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford towards the end of last season. The 21-year-old missed the previous three Championship fixtures with a shoulder injury, but reached his third career ton in 141 deliveries – although only after he was dropped on 92 by Simon Harmer.Albert fell when reverse sweeping Critchley to deep point, which ended a 177-run partnership. But Ben Brown and Prest passed the follow-on target just before tea, before Prest began to eye up 450 – and full batting bonus points.At one point he had taken 52 runs, with Brown, in four overs – in which time he had hit Harmer for 14 and 19 in an over, brought up the century stand and reached a maiden 150.Prest fell for 156 when he advanced and holed out to long-off and Brown was bowled by Shane Snater for a 59-ball 54. Critchley then picked up Liam Dawson, Kyle Abbott and Vince in the space of four balls to claim a five-wicket haul.On his departure, Vince decided to declare the innings, reckoning 450 runs was now above them, while preventing Essex gaining from maximum bowling points.

Clive Lloyd, the back-to-back World Cup winning captain of the West Indies, has been conferred the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC). It is the region’s highest honour.Lloyd was the face of West Indies’ success in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. As a batter, he was hard-hitting, capable of scoring big runs in no time at all. As a tactician, he was astute and it was under his leadership that West Indies were crowned cricket’s first ever world champions. Lloyd spearheaded two decades of dominance. He was the first West Indian to 100 Tests. He captained them in 74 and lost only 12.Lloyd, 79, was conferred the OCC at the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in Grenada on Sunday.Cricket West Indies president, Dr. Kishore Shallow, was at the ceremony and he said: “This honor is a fitting tribute to a man who has not only exemplified excellence on the cricket field but has also been an unwavering pillar of inspiration and leadership for the Caribbean and the world. Sir Clive’s contributions to cricket and his dedication to the development of the sport are truly unparalleled.”Sir Clive’s legacy is one that resonates deeply with every West Indian. His leadership, determination, and sportsmanship have set the standard for what it means to be a true champion. This recognition by CARICOM is a testament to his enduring impact on our region and the sport of cricket. We are honored to celebrate this moment with him.”Lloyd’s association with cricket continued even after the end of his playing career as a coach, selector and match referee. He has also worked as a civil servant for Guyana Ministry of Health and was knighted in 2019.

Match details

West Indies vs Afghanistan
Gros Islet, 8.30pm local

Big picture – Battle of two unbeaten teams

With a line-up packed with power-hitters from top to bottom, West Indies have always been the prototype of a perfect T20 batting side, and it’s no different at T20 World Cup 2024. Add the incisive fast bowlers and effective spinners and they look like the team to beat.The balance of the Rovman-Powell-led team resembles the ones they had during their title-winning runs in 2012 and 2016. Samuel Badree gave them successful starts with the ball with his legspin then, a role Akeal Hosein has assumed this time with his left-arm orthodox. It may not be a mere coincidence that Daren Sammy, who captained West Indies to the title in those two editions, is at the helm as head coach now.Related

• Hazratullah Zazai replaces injured Mujeeb in Afghanistan squad

• Time for Johnson Charles to put on a show

With all Super Eight spots decided, West Indies’ clash against Afghanistan has little significance. But try telling that to the players that. “Momentum” and “pride” were the keywords in the pre-match press conference that Powell and Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott addressed.Afghanistan will have tough competition in the Super Eight round, having been clubbed alongside India, Australia and Bangladesh, and will want to carry positive vibes into it. Having enjoyed an unbeaten run thus far, neither team will want to trip up heading into the business end of the competition.

Form guide

West Indies WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
Afghanistan WWWWW

In the spotlight – Rovman Powell and Rashid Khan

Among those in the current squad, only Nicholas Pooran (1914) and Brandon King (1365) have more T20I runs for West Indies than Rovman Powell (1351). Pooran (487) and King (621) also are the top scorers for them in T20Is since January 2023 with Powell (461) at third. But Powell’s strike rate of 163.47 is far superior to that of the other two, which highlights his destructive powers. However, he is yet to fire in this World Cup – 39 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 105.40. A decent hit ahead of the Super Eight will bode well for the co-hosts.Rashid Khan has six wickets in this World Cup, and all of them have come in the middle overs. In his T20I career, he has only nine wickets in eight matches against West Indies. They are one of only four teams against whom Rashid averages in the 20s. But against a line-up dominated by right-hand batters, Rashid should be licking his lips to have a perfect outing.Will Rashid Khan be effective against West Indies’ power-hitters?•ICC via Getty Images

Team news

Barring any last-minute injuries, both teams are likely to be unchanged. It could perhaps be a last chance for Johnson Charles to come good, with Shai Hope waiting in the wings.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4 Roston Chase, 5 Rovman Powell (capt), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Gudakesh Motie.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Gulbadin Naib, 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Pitch and conditions

The pitches so far in Gros Islet have been more conducive for batting than most at this World Cup, with teams scoring 180 or more in three out of four innings. At this venue, teams generally prefer to bowl first after winning the toss. In 14 T20s since the start of 2022, only twice have teams opted to bat first. But the results have been mixed: teams batting first have won six times and teams bowling first have also won six times, while two games were washed out.There’s no threat of rain on Monday but expect it to be a bit windy, as was the case in the last two games here.1:34

Bishop: Hard to name someone with Farooqi’s skillset

Stats that matter

• Since the start of 2023, West Indies’ run rate of 11.94 in the death overs (17-20) is the highest among all participating teams in this World Cup.
• Afghanistan have been the most frugal spin-bowling team at this World Cup with an economy rate of 4.88. West Indies are next-best at 5.04.
• Rahmanullah Gurbaz has a strike rate of 148.48 (49 runs off 33 balls, one dismissal) against left-arm spin at this World Cup. With West Indies having Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie in their line-up, it will be an interesting match-up.
  

  Quotes

  “We start with Akeal Hosein. His strength is predominantly in the powerplay and while he does such good work in the powerplay, right as we come out the powerplay is Gudakesh Motie’s time. So it’s like Akeal Hosein passing the baton to Gudakesh Motie and it’s been very good so far. When we sat down as a selection group and picked the World Cup team, we picked both knowing the role that they would play on these Caribbean wickets.”
  “I said to them, ‘When you were a youngster and I said you were going to play against West Indies in St Lucia in a World Cup, you would have bitten someone’s hand off for that opportunity. So don’t let this opportunity pass you by just because there’s nothing on the line with regards to qualification.”

If Australia and Afghanistan winThree teams will finish on four points. If Australia win by a run, Afghanistan will need a 36-run margin against Bangladesh to move ahead of Australia on net run rate. If Australia win a run-chase off the last ball, Afghanistan will have to win their game in 15.4 overs or sooner (assuming first-innings scores of 160).Related

• Afghanistan better placed than Bangladesh in dash for last semi-final spot

• Marsh confident Australia will be 'up and about' for India challenge after Afghanistan loss

• Hardik serves reminder of his power and excitement with the bat

• Naib after historic win: 'Thank god we at last beat Australia'

• Stats – Afghanistan's maiden win against Australia in any format

India are sitting pretty with an NRR of 2.425. For them to get knocked out, both Australia and Afghanistan will have to win by big margins. Australia will need to beat India by 41 runs to go past them on run rate, while Afghanistan will have to beat Bangladesh by at least 83 runs.If India and Bangladesh winIndia will top the group with six points, while the other three teams will be tied on two each. In that case, NRR will decide the second team from the group. Australia, with a NRR of 0.223, are currently best placed among the three teams: even if Afghanistan lose by just one run, Australia will need to lose by 31 for their run rate to slip below that of Afghanistan.Bangladesh will need to win by 31 runs for their NRR to sneak ahead of Afghanistan’s, but they will also need Australia to lose by 55 runs, to finish second in the group.If Australia and Bangladesh winIndia and Australia will qualify for the semi-finals with four points, while Afghanistan and Bangladesh will finish on two.If India and Afghanistan winIndia and Afghanistan will qualify for the semi-finals with six and four points.

India Test captain Shubman Gill has been discharged from the hospital where he was receiving treatment for neck spasm sustained during the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata. He, however, remains in doubt for the second Test in Guwahati starting Saturday.India have a training session in Kolkata on Tuesday morning but Gill is not expected to take part in that. The team is expected to fly to Guwahati on Wednesday, but with commercial air travel not advised for people recovering from neck issues, Gill is unlikely to fly with the team that day.Head coach Gautam Gambhir said at the post-match press conference that Gill was “still being assessed”, with another assessment to be carried out by the physio and team soon. Gill’s absence in the fourth innings left India a batter short in their 30-run loss in a low-scoring game.Related

• Gill set to miss Guwahati Test against South Africa; Pant to stand in as captain

• Stats – South Africa's first win in India since 2010

• India face reality check for their bull-headed belief in pitch preparation

• 'Job's far from done' – Conrad eyes series win

“It was tough because we always knew we were one down,” Gambhir said after India were bowled out for 93 in their chase of 124. “Obviously, Shubman wasn’t there, and then losing two before lunch, we were literally three down. But we always felt that if we got those partnerships, a 50-run partnership or two 40-run partnerships, we would’ve been in the game.”If Gill is unavailable for the next Test, potential replacements are left-hand batters B Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal. Sudharsan made 87 and 39 against West Indies in Delhi but had a top score of 32 in four innings for India A against South Africa A earlier this month. Padikkal, who played one Test each in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the home series against England, returned three single-digit scores and a 24 against South Africa A.If that’s the only change India make for the Guwahati Test, it would leave them with seven left-hand batters in their XI. In Kolkata, India fielded six left-hand batters for the first time. Of the eight wickets offspinner Simon Harmer took in the Kolkata Test, six were of left-hand batters, while part-time offspinner Aiden Markram also dismissed one left-hand batter.Gill was admitted to the hospital after the second day of the Kolkata Test, following the decision to retire hurt after facing only three balls in India’s first innings. On the morning of the third day, the BCCI said Gill would take no further part in the Test.Gill missed a Test against New Zealand in October 2024 due to a neck spasm too. His injury scare comes at a time when his workload has been under constant monitoring. He has played cricket non-stop across formats since IPL 2025 and was among four Test players who flew to Kolkata straight from Australia after the T20I series.

Big picture: Nothing to separate the two teams

West Indies are wary of the Dhaka pitch, and Bangladesh are trying to get out of their ODI funk as they face each other in the first ODI on Saturday. Ranking points are up for grabs with both teams setting their sights on automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup. And there’s little to separate them historically – they have won six bilateral ODI series each over the years.Bangladesh have to sort out a batting puzzle. Soumya Sarkar’s inclusion means Tanzid Hasan will likely have to stay on the bench. Saif Hassan is an automatic choice, though he needs to strengthen his position with a big innings. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s form is still a concern, though he is getting a longer rope than some others have got over the years.Related

• 'Assess, decide and deliver' – West Indies embrace the unknown in Dhaka

• Keacy Carty took the stairs, not the elevator, but he's not complaining

• Patience running thin amid Bangladesh's batting gloom

Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan also weren’t among the runs against Afghanistan. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has scored runs but his strike rate has come under fire in the last two ODI series. The national selectors have added Mahidul Islam to the mix, while Shamim Hossain is another middle-order option.Bangladesh’s only plus point is their bowling. The fast bowlers have been rotated smoothly, and have done well in most conditions. Spinners Rishad Hossain and Tanvir Islam have also been in control of proceedings for the most part. They will be licking their lips with the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch in front of them.It will be the same for Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase, the spin twins who have brought West Indies some success in recent times. They have Shai Hope and Chase for batting experience in Bangladeshi conditions, while the likes of Brandon King, Keacy Carty, Alick Athanaze and Amir Jangoo will combine to provide the rest of the batting firepower.Jayden Seales will have good memories from the last time he played against Bangladesh, at the end of 2024. Seales was in great form against Pakistan in West Indies’ last ODI series, picking up six wickets in the third ODI.Tanvir Islam is one of the few undroppable players in the Bangladesh team•AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

Bangladesh LLLLW
West Indies WWLLL

In the spotlight: Tanvir Islam and Keacy CartyTanvir Islam was one of Bangladesh’s rare consistent performers in the Afghanistan series. He took just four wickets but produced good spells in all three matches. His magic delivery to Azmatullah Omarzai in the third game highlighted his improved quality as a left-arm spinner. He is also one of the few automatic choices in the current ODI setup.It’s early days, but Keacy Carty has provided West Indies with stability at No 3. He averages more than 50 with 1100-plus runs at the position. Carty has the shots to keep him finding the boundary regularly, but also has the percentage game. Centuries in Ireland and England are evidence that he can play in different conditions.Alick Athanaze should replace Evin Lewis in the West Indies XI•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Soumya, Mahidul could enter XI

Soumya and Mahidul might slot into Bangladesh’s line-up after being called up for the series.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mahidul Islam, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nahid Rana, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Hasan Mahmud.Athanaze is the most likely batter to replace Evin Lewis from West Indies’ last ODI against Pakistan in August. They also have Jangoo, Ackeem Auguste and Khary Pierre as allrounders.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt & wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Gudakesh Motie, 8 Justin Greaves, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Shamar Joseph, 11 Jayden Seales.

Pitch and conditions

A sneak peek of the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch the day before the first ODI revealed a dark surface, which strongly suggests slow turn and a bit of low bounce. There is light rain forecast on an otherwise warm day.

Stats and trivia

• Only Hope and Chase from the current West Indies squad have played ODIs in Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh have lost their last five ODI series dating back to November last year. In that time, they have only won two of their 14 matches.

Nobody at Malahide was more disappointed than Sonny Baker when rain ruined the second of England’s three matches in Ireland on Friday. Two-and-a-half weeks on from a chastening ODI debut against South Africa, Baker was in line to win his first T20I cap and was “desperate” for a second crack at international cricket. Instead, he is crossing his fingers for sunshine on Sunday.At 22, Baker has emerged as a serious prospect this year, fast-tracked onto an England development contract after impressing for the Lions in Australia. He starred in the Hundred, with sharp new-ball spells to David Warner and Jonny Bairstow, and was widely considered a potential Ashes bolter had he made a positive first impression in an England shirt.Instead, what should have been the highlight of his young career quickly turned into a day to forget. With just 131 on the board after a dramatic batting collapse – Baker was last man out, bowled first-ball – he was asked to bowl the first over, running up the hill at Headingley. Aiden Markram duly hit three of the first five balls of his England career to the boundary.His second over went no better, with Markram crunching him for six on either side of the ground. Harry Brook kept him on, hoping a wicket would change things, but had to relent after his first four overs cost 56 runs. Baker’s second spell, after an end change, went slightly better, but 0 for 76 in seven overs were still the worst figures for an England ODI debutant.Baker receives his England cap from Jos Buttler•ECB via Getty Images

“It was obviously not exactly how I’d planned my debut going,” Baker said on Saturday, with a healthy dose of perspective. “Not all good experiences are enjoyable experiences… At the time, I was thinking, ’15 an over for my first three or four overs is not what I had in mind!’ But in the long run, it’ll be a good thing… The next one will definitely be better than that – or hopefully!”Jof [Jofra Archer] came over from cover to mid-off and was like, ‘How’s your heart rate, bud?’ But from an emotional management point of view, I actually felt okay at the time, all things considered. There was so much going on that I didn’t really have time to register, ‘Oh no, this is really not going how I wanted it to.’ It was like, ‘Well, I’ve just got to get on with it and deal with it.'”Overall, I was obviously a little bit disappointed after the series, because it’s not how you want your first game to go. I had a bit of time to reflect, but bounced back fairly quickly after that because I knew I was obviously in for this [tour].”Baker has quickly developed a reputation as a meticulous note-taker, who takes analysis very seriously and plans for each game in great detail. He was not too disheartened reviewing his debut, recounting one delivery to Markram at 89mph – “a little bit over the top of leg stump” – which disappeared over square leg for six.”Brooky was chatting to me after, and said, ‘What did you write down in your notebook after that game?’ I just said, ‘Shit happens,'” he recounted. “It was not the best I’ve bowled, but there’s days where I’ve bowled a lot worse than that and got four [wickets] for not very many. It’s just one of those games: you can score quickly at that ground.”Related

• Brook backs butchered Baker after chastising ODI debut

• Abject England still searching for one-day identity

• Summer arrives late for Ireland in slender window of opportunity

• Dublin downpour leads to Ireland-England washout

His main takeaway was how little room for error there is at international level: “It’s just the execution. I knew what I was trying to bowl [to Markram], just cramping him for room at the top of leg stump. If you miss fractionally short or you miss fractionally full, it’s tough. Basically, your margins are just smaller… Batters are allowed to play good shots.”He hopes to be involved in next month’s white-ball tour to New Zealand and will then head to Australia in some capacity, most likely with the Lions. After only seven first-class appearances – all of them this year, including an unusual debut for the Lions – Baker is still an unknown commodity as a red-ball bowler: “That’s one of the exciting things about being young, isn’t it?”Brendon McCullum singled him out for his “infectious enthusiasm” after the series, and his debut does not appear to have affected him too negatively. He was back bowling for Hampshire on Blast Finals Day last weekend, where his personal highlight was an inswinging yorker to clean up Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and is now hoping to make his T20I debut in front of his parents and his girlfriend in Ireland.Baker was “very nervous” on the morning of his debut at Headingley, but hopes that he will be able to channel his emotions in Malahide – a more low-key setting, even with tickets sold out for Sunday’s match – and prove himself in an England shirt: “I’m desperate to get out there again… Hopefully, [Sunday] will be a good opportunity to get one under my belt.”