My control wasn’t quite as good because I was always thinking, ‘I need to give it some to create a chance’. This year, in a small sample size, it’s been much better.”operate at that cruise control, it didn’t really feel like it had enough zip or energy on the ball
Baker lights up at the opportunity to get nerdy over fast bowling, eulogising about South Africa great Dale Steyn as “the king of going up and down the gears”.
“He’d take the new ball, click into third gear, swing and nip it, put it on a sixpence,” says Baker. “Then, when some guy needed a bouncer, fifth gear and bang!”
Baker’s fire would add some much-needed oomph to an England team that had too many introverts for the heat of an Ashes battle in Australia. His character could possibly build bridges with supporters after a winter of bad PR.
“Bowling fast is just fun,” he says. “It’s got to be. You have to find a way to keep it fun.
“What do people come out of the bar to watch? Guys hitting massive sixes, guys bowling rapid and spinners ragging it.
“Who wasn’t watching Jofra Archer in the 2019 Ashes? Everyone was. We pretended to be Jofra in the back garden. Why wouldn’t you want to be that guy? Steaming in. It’s what is exciting about the game.”
Baker says his outlook on life comes from his family. His dad Ian was a club cricketer in Torquay and semi-professional goalkeeper. His brother Blaise, 19, is also a fast bowler and has played for Somerset’s second XI.
In his desire to leave “no stone unturned”, last year Baker revealed he drinks bone broth to help stave off the stress fractures that dogged his teenage years. His problem was producing enough bone broth to sustain a fast bowler.
“It’s a right pain to make,” he says. “Brown the bones, then brew them for at least 24 hours, then take all the bones out, put it in the bin, but it steams up the bin and creates horrible bin juice. Then ladle it out into bottles, then take it with you everywhere.
“I’d make litres of it, trying to make it last a week. It was a stretch. Sometimes I’d find I’d gone three days without it because I haven’t made it. It’s a stinker – I shouldn’t be doing that.”
Help came from an unknown member of the public.
“There’s a bone broth company, who were at a farm show,” says Baker. “A lady came to them and said: ‘Have you heard about the cricketer who drinks bone broth?’ They found me online and now they sponsor me. I get it delivered to wherever I am. What a lifesaver. Thank you to whichever lady passed on my name.”
The cut in the call was caused by Baker’s phone running out of battery. He scurried around the Utilita Bowl to find a charger and finished the call with the wire plugged into his car.
He has only played 10 first-class matches, of which three were at the start of this season – three back to back for the first time in his career. Hampshire have three more back to back – starting at home to Glamorgan on Friday – before England’s first Test of the summer.
As a centrally contracted player, Baker’s workload will be decided by England, whether he gets a Test call this summer or not.
“You wouldn’t be on a central contract if they didn’t think it was worth investing in you long-term,” he says. “Whether I’m in their immediate plans or not, I don’t know, and it’s not for me to say.
“I’ve added pace and much more control. For red-ball cricket, I can say I am a significantly better bowler than I was last year.”
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