Sonny Baker the star of the show for Manchester Originals
Manchester Originals 163-6 beat London Spirit 153-6 by 10 runs
Sonny Baker was the star of the show for Manchester Originals in the men’s Hundred competition
Author | Jamie P
Stadium | Emirates Old Trafford
Baker drew comparisons with James Anderson after starring in Manchester Originals victory over London Spirit. He set the tone for the contest by opening Spirit’s pursuit of 164 with five dot balls, conceding just four runs from his first set of 10 deliveries.
The 21-year-old troubled two of the game’s most accomplished batters, David Warner and Kane Williamson, who between them have amassed more than 38,000 international runs, using a combination of swing and sharp pace to keep scoring opportunities to a minimum.
His early pressure proved crucial in restricting Spirit’s momentum and, although Warner produced a typically aggressive 71, the Originals, who had omitted Anderson after defeats in their first two matches, never looked under serious threat.
With 38 required from 15 balls, Warner’s resistance was ended when he glanced a Josh Tongue delivery down the leg side into the hands of the wicketkeeper. Baker then returned to claim the wicket of Australia’s Ashton Turner for 13, sealing a richly deserved reward for a disciplined spell that yielded just 22 runs.
A closer look at Baker's performance
After missing last year’s competition through injury, Sonny Baker marked his return with figures of 2 for 26 in Manchester Originals’ opening fixture of the tournament.
His display on Monday night offered further evidence of why he is held in such high regard and why the Originals chose to retain him despite his limited experience, having played only 10 T20 Blast matches before the start of this season.
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While others in the competition can hit higher peak speeds, Baker’s consistency sets him apart, with his average delivery clocking 85.6mph, the second fastest in this year’s Hundred. He operated at or above that mark to David Warner in the early stages, finding sharp movement and beating the Australian left-hander with each of his first three balls.
After conceding just 10 runs from his opening 15 deliveries, a wicket was the only missing piece in his spell. It arrived when he banged the ball in short, rushing Ashton Turner into a misjudged pull that looped towards the leg side and into waiting hands.
The future looks very bright for him and he was recently awarded a national development contract after some positive performances for England Lions.
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