Who was Worcestershire cricketer Josh Baker, who died at the age of 20? | Cricket News

The teen has made two County look this season and on Wednesday, he had taken 3 for 66 within the first innings of Worcestershire’s four-day 2nd XI Championship match towards Somerset at Bromsgrove Faculty.

Baker made his first-class debut in 2021 and performed 47 video games in all codecs, taking 70 wickets.

Worcestershire County Cricket Membership is heartbroken to announce the premature passing of Josh Baker, who was aged solely 20 years previous.

The love and prayers of everybody on the Membership exit to Josh’s household and buddies at the moment.

➡️ https://t.co/p5C9G0apV0 pic.twitter.com/DNNOnG4Gy7

— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) May 2, 2024

Baker was born in Redditch, and he got here by way of the ranks at New Street and represented England at U-19 degree.

He signed a three-year contract final 12 months, having recovered from a again harm that he suffered in 2022, and performed 5 Championship video games to assist Worcestershire win promotion from Championship Division Two.

In a membership assertion, Worcestershire have mentioned they’re ‘heartbroken’ on the dying of 20-year-old and described him as a “vibrant spirit and infectious enthusiasm” in a tribute.

🌀 Josh Baker has three wickets for the seconds at this time of their match towards Somerset.

Comply with ➡️ https://t.co/NEBX7AV4EM pic.twitter.com/zGWvxxzDjW

— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) May 1, 2024

“Greater than his expertise as a spin bowler, it was his vibrant spirit and infectious enthusiasm that endeared him to everybody he met,” mentioned the Membership.

“His heat, kindness, and professionalism had been outstanding, making him a real credit score to his household and a beloved member of our workforce.”

Worcestershire chief government, the previous England spinner Ashley Giles, provided a private message.

‘The information of Josh’s passing has left us all devastated. Josh was way more than a team-mate; he was an integral a part of our cricket household. We are going to all miss him terribly. All our love and prayers exit to Josh’s household and buddies,’ mentioned Giles.

In 2022, Baker was struck for 34 runs in a single over Ben Stokes, throughout a match between Worcestershire and Durham.

Stokes has later dropped a textual content to Baker on WhatsApp, saying “let at this time outline the remainder of your season.”

“You’ve received severe potential and [I] assume you’ll go a great distance,” Stokes added. “Most essential opinion is from the lads in your changing-room and they’ll at all times have your again. This coming from somebody who received meeeeeeeelted in a T20 World Cup remaining.”

The England Cricket Board (ECB) mentioned it’s ‘desperately unhappy to study of the passing of Baker.

“That is devastating information. We prolong our greatest needs to Josh’s household and buddies, to everybody who knew and beloved him, and to everybody at Worcestershire CCC.”

Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of males’s cricket, wrote on X (previously Twitter): “That is completely heartbreaking. My ideas exit to all of Josh’s household.”