Baker takes rough debut in his stride as he awaits Ireland call
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
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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.”