England's fast bowler Sonny Baker gets cooked on debut

Dubai: It was far from the dream debut England fast bowler Sonny Baker had envisioned. Instead, the 22-year-old endured a nightmare outing, finishing with an unwanted record that summed up England’s dismal performance in the first ODI against South Africa at Headingley.

Baker’s rapid rise — from bowling just 10 balls under lights in The Hundred to facing South Africa’s seasoned ODI stars—proved overwhelming. He was punished mercilessly, leaking 76 runs in seven overs at an economy of 10.90, the highest runs conceded by an England bowler on debut.

Earlier in the day at Leeds, Baker received his maiden cap from Jos Buttler, the former England captain and fellow Somerset cricketer. His call-up came on the back of an impressive County Championship stint and a standout campaign in The Hundred, which had fast-tracked him into England’s white-ball setup.

The selectors viewed Baker as a genuine wicket-taking option ahead of the Ashes in Australia, scheduled to begin on November 21 in Perth. But South Africa provided a harsh reality check, dismantling both Baker and England with a ruthless assault.

After falling for a golden duck in England’s batting collapse, Baker’s first over with the ball went from bad to worse. Searching for swing with a fuller length, he was taken apart by Aiden Markram, who cracked three boundaries to plunder 14 runs off the over while chasing just 132.

The punishment continued, and by the time Baker finished his spell, he held the record for the most runs conceded by an England debutant, along with the second-worst economy rate for any debutant to bowl five or more overs.

In contrast, Jofra Archer’s fiery spell at the other end exposed the gulf in impact, as South Africa struggled to lay bat on his pace. The comparison only magnified Baker’s struggles.

Following England’s seven-wicket thrashing, skipper Harry Brook was quick to shield the youngster from criticism. “The way he kept charging in and giving 100 per cent was awesome to see. That’s exactly what we ask of our bowlers,” Brook said.