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Sonny Baker set for England ODI debut against South Africa

Uncapped Hampshire fast bowler in XI for opening game of series at Headingley

ESPNcricinfo staff
01-Sep-2025 • 7 hrs ago
Sonny Baker finished the game with a hat-trick, Manchester Originals vs Northern Superchargers, Men's Hundred, Old Trafford, August 17, 2025

Sonny Baker impressed for Manchester Originals in the Hundred  •  Getty Images

Sonny Baker, the Hampshire fast bowler, will make his international debut in the first match of England's ODI series with South Africa at Headingley on Tuesday.
Baker, 22, has only played 11 List A games but caught the eye during the Hundred, where he took nine wickets in seven appearances for Manchester Originals. Capable of pushing the speed gun up to 90mph/145kph, he impressed with the Lions over the winter and was handed an England development contract earlier this year.
He will be joined in England's pace attack by Jofra Archer, playing his first ODI since the Champions Trophy, and Brydon Carse. Harry Brook captains the XI in his second series since taking charge, while Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett will continue to bed in their opening partnership.
Brook said that England were "excited to see where he goes" after Baker's performances in the Hundred, noting in particular his duels with Kane Williamson, David Warner, Steven Smith and Jonny Bairstow while playing for Originals.
"He's been awesome in the Hundred," Brook said. "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 he 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's quite a lot of people excited to see where he goes.
"There have been a few moments. The spells he bowled to Williamson and Warner and then Smith and Bairstow, all four are world-class batters in the shorter format and he was all over them. He bowled with high pace and high skill. He was awesome to watch this year and everyone was talking about him."
On the day that Jamie Overton shelved first-class cricket, Brook agreed that Baker could potentially force himself into the equation for the Ashes: "I don't select the red-ball side, but yeah, he's obviously done really well this summer and we'll see how he goes tomorrow. He's bowling at high pace with a lot of skill, and it looks like he has quite a lot about him as well."
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