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1 September 2025, 11:45 BST
Fast bowler Sonny Baker will make his England debut in the first one-day international against South Africa at Headingley on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old took nine wickets in seven matches for Manchester Originals in The Hundred, regularly bowling around 90mph while threatening with the new ball in particular.
It is the latest step in a rapid rise for Hampshire’s Baker, who made his first-class debut for England Lions against Australia A in Sydney at the beginning of this year.
England captain Harry Brook said it was his spells to Kane Williamson and David Warner when playing against London Spirit, and against Welsh Fire’s Steve Smith and Jonny Bairstow, that caught the eye.
“All four are world-class batters and he was all over them,” Brook told BBC Sport.
“He bowled with high pace and high skill. He was awesome to watch this year and everyone was talking about him.”
Baker trained with England for the first time on Sunday and was present again at a light training session on Monday morning in Leeds.
The five members of England’s squad who played in Sunday’s Hundred final were not present – they travelled from London on Monday morning – but both Joe Root and Will Jacks have been included in the XI.
“In an ideal world we’d have liked to meet up yesterday and train yesterday, train today and go into the game as a group but nobody is short of cricket that’s for sure,” Brook said.
“Everybody’s raring to go and loving playing for England.”
Baker’s fellow quicks Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are both included after missing the final Test against India in July. For Archer, it will be his first one-day international since the Champions Trophy in March.
The match in Leeds begins a three-match series against the Proteas, which is followed by three T20s.
England XI to play South Africa in first ODI: Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Sonny Baker.
Baker also joined Hampshire from Somerset at the end of last summer and has taken two five-wicket hauls in six County Championship matches this season.
The Hundred was his breakout tournament, however. He took a hat-trick against Brook’s Northern Superchargers in addition to his spells against Spirit and Fire.
Troubled by back injuries earlier in his career, Baker revealed to BBC Sport after he was called into the England white-ball squad that he drinks “bone broth” every day to help guard against further problems.
“He’s got me out before, a few years ago in The Hundred,” Brook added.
“He can swing it both ways with exceptional death skills as well so to have him in the team and for him to be opening up tomorrow is awesome.”
The series against South Africa are Brook’s second since being appointed full-time white-ball captain earlier this year.
England won all six matches against West Indies – three ODIs and three T20s – under Brook earlier in the summer.
With the Ashes set to take the focus this winter, England are in the early stages of building towards the 2027 50-over World Cup, after three disappointing global events in a row.
There is also a T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February next year.
“We’re trying to create an environment where we’re working towards something, like [World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan] Morgs did when he took over years ago,” Brook said.
“South Africa will be a new challenge to play against, slightly different to West Indies, and we’ve got to try and assess situations and execute our skills as well as we can.”
