Hampshire pace sensation Sonny Baker is all set for his maiden international appearance, having been named in England’s playing XI for the first ODI against South Africa at Headingley on Tuesday, 2 September.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the playing XI on the eve of the series opener. Baker, who recently made headlines in The Hundred, has been given the nod ahead of other pace bowling options – Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton, the latter of whom recently took an indefinite break from red-ball cricket.
“He’s been awesome in the Hundred,” Harry Brook said at the pre-match press-conference. “We’ve seen him bowl at some of the best batters in the world and he had them on toast, so it’s been really good to see. He bowls at high pace and can swing it both ways, with exceptional death skills as well. To have him in the team and for him to be opening up tomorrow is awesome. I think there are quite a lot of people excited to see where he goes.”
Rehan Ahmed and Tom Banton are the other players missing out on the Headingley ODI.
In his first match, Baker will be joined by more experienced players such as Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse in the pace department. Adil Rashid is the only specialist spinner. Wicket-keeper batter Jamie Smith will continue to open with Ben Duckett, with Will Jacks playing in the lower-middle order alongside Jacob Bethell in the Harry Brook-led England side.
England XI for 1st ODI: 1. Jamie Smith, 2. Ben Duckett, 3. Joe Root, 4. Harry Brook (capt), 5. Jos Buttler (wk), 6. Jacob Bethell, 7. Will Jacks, 8. Brydon Carse, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Sonny Baker