Baker commemorated around the grounds
Around the country, players wore black armbands in memory of the young Worcestershire spinning all-rounder Josh Baker, whose death was announced on Thursday.
His parents, Paul and Lisa, paid tribute to their son: “We are both broken. Achieved so many of his dreams before reaching 21. Take every opportunity to hug your parents and children. We’ve taken great comfort from the many messages received so far – keep sharing and posting your memories please.”
At New Road, where Baker had come through the ranks, the club opened a book of remembrance. His former Worcestershire coach Shaftab Khalid recalled, “not just a very talented cricketer but also an amazing and wonderful human being. He was such a nice, humble and sweet person. He was a Worcestershire boy so playing for his county and then the England Under‑19s, the dream was coming true.”
There was a minute’s silence in memory of Baker at Derby, among other grounds. Ollie Robinson grabbed two wickets after Sussex won the toss and chose to field under filthy skies. Derbyshire were 189 for eight when the rain fell, with 50 for Luis Reece and a giddy 44 for Aneurin Donald. At Old Trafford, Kent fought back after being reduced to 129 for six by Lancashire under the floodlights, with a third fifty of the season for Joey Evison, and a boundary heavy 41 for Zak Crawley, who brushed George Balderson (three for 62) for three successive fours.
In the battle of the brothers at a soggy Headingley, Glamorgan’s Billy Root stroked 51 against Yorkshire, but not before older brother Joe had dropped him at slip; and it was dismissals a-go-go at Taunton, where 20 wickets fell on an emerald pitch, all to seamers. Somerset bowled Essex out for 156 after winning the toss, with only Tom Westley making it past 25, Migael Pretorius finishing with four for 26. Sam Cook and Jamie Porter soon got their revenge, ripping through Somerset for 128, with five wickets each. There was time for Essex to face one over, with five slips, before stumps.
Play was washed out without a ball bowled between Middlesex and Leicestershire at Lord’s.
Twenty wickets fell on an eventful day at Taunton, while elsewhere the rain intervened. We’ll be back tomorrow – have a lovely Friday night!
Close of play scores
DIVISION ONE
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Kent 203-7
Taunton: Somerset 128 v Essex 156 and 6-0
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 189-8 v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Leicestershire no play on day one
Headingley: Yorkshire v Glamorgan 109-4
And while everywhere else was rained off long ago, Essex start the third innings of the day at a sunlit Taunton.
Just checked the scoreboard at Taunton. Somerset have deflated like a whoppee cushion under a gentleman farmer. From 95-5 to 128 all out. Five wickets each for Porter and Cook.
Somerset now five down. Time for a James Rew special? Cook 3-21.
Please excuse me while I disappear to write up for the paper. I believe they’re about to restart at Headingley.
A tribute to Josh Baker from his parents
They posted on social media: “We are both broken. Achieved so many of his dreams before reaching 21. Take every opportunity to hug your parents and children. We’ve taken great comfort from the many messages received so far - keep sharing and posting your memories please.”
Raining again at OT, and at Derby and Headingley.
Andy Umeed’s boundary or bust strategy has come to an end at Taunton, caught poking at Sam Cook by Simon Harmer at slip. Somerset 61-3, Lammonby still there on 14.
A phone call on Monday, by Tuesday a candidate for the Worker’s Party for Britain. A story of a lost soul.
A third fifty of the season for Evison, off 114 balls – and then he loses his partner, after a partnership of 69. Stewart a second wicket for Lyon, stretching forward and pushing ineffectively to slip. Kent 199-7.
They’re on at OT, but I suspect not for long. The umpires make the walk of doom to converse about the light. They stay on, indeed Stewart dispatches two Balderson deliveries to the rope.
Abandoned for the day at Lord's
Wet, wet, wet in the big smoke. In fact raining everywhere except at Taunton, where Somerset are 30-2: if Porter don’t get you, Cook must.
After five dots, Grant Stewart has had enough, and biffs Tom Hartley for six, to bring up the fifty partnership between him and Joey Evison. Kent 184-6.
Meanwhile at Headingley, earlier today:
Joe Root has dropped his brother Billy Root at first slip pic.twitter.com/53sRm89P57
— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 3, 2024
One for the fraternal memory bank.
AI helping to pick England teams:
Fascinating from Jon Lewis this morning, who revealed England used an AI company to help with squad selection in the Women’s Ashes:
— Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) May 3, 2024
“They run about 250,000 simulations, with all permutations of what could happen. It helped us win the T20 series to get us back in the Ashes.”
Old nets, new homes:
Old cricket netting available to a good home FOC from @WarwickshireCCC first come first serve, different sizes pic.twitter.com/JRfmI2RMje
— Gary Barwell (@barnstonworth) May 3, 2024
Tea-time scores
DIVISION ONE
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Kent 166-6
Taunton: Somerset v Essex 156
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 189-8 v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Leicestershire no play before tea
Headingley: Yorkshire v Glamorgan 95-2
Essex are all out for 156 before you can say Sam Cook. Four wickets to Pretorius, two for Coverton and Ball. Somerset can make merry after tea – which is occurring round the grounds.
Lanky storming to victory in the Mascot Race! 🦒 🌹 pic.twitter.com/jb3RMFmfZB
— Lancashire Cricket Foundation (@LancsCricketFDN) May 3, 2024
Denly has a rush of blood, charges Lyon and delivers the ball with pitch-perfect precision into the hands of the waiting Keaton Jennings on the rope, who pumps his fist in delight. Kent 129-6, Hartley and Lyon now wheeling away in tandem.
Essex need a win at Taunton to keep a grip on the Surrey coat-tails, but it isn’t going well. Now 132-6, Duke and Harmer tasked with inching them up towards 200.
Nathan Lyon into his fifth over here at OT, the floodlights adding a mucky lustre to proceedings. Kent 127-5.
Wickets a-tumbling at Derby, Derbyshire 157-7: two for Ollie Robinson, two for Hudson-Prentice. Reece (50) and Donald (44 off 46) the only men to pass 14.
Some more touching tributes to Josh Baker:
From Jos Buttler out in India with the IPL: “Incredibly sad news, thoughts and prayers with all Josh’s family, friends and all at Worcs,”
While England women’s coach Jon Lewis spoke of his sadness and that of Alex Gidman, the women’s assistant coach, who used to be head coach at Worcestershire and oversaw Baker’s development into a first-team cricketer.
“It’s really shocking. I spoke to Alex and he was pretty cut up about it,” said Lewis.
“He gave Josh his first contract at Worcestershire, so he was quite connected to that part of cricket. Cricket is an incredibly small world and it’s really sad.”
A lovely moment, Josh Baker hitting the runs that sealed promotion for Worcestershire last season. RIP https://t.co/Pz1CzxRNA4
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) May 3, 2024
Still raining at Lord’s; rain at Headingley, where Billy Root was out just before lunch for 51, a sixth wicket of the season for Dan Moriarty.
A hundred years ago, the 1924 season was a day old – Harry Makepeace holding Lancashire together against Derbyshire. Thank you Ken.
It looks straight, it is straight. Williams strikes ten minutes after lunch. Joey Evison joins Joe Denly. Kent in something of a hole at 83-5.
Result of the mascot race from Ken who was dutifully watching rather than queueing up for a portion of veggie chilli: “Lanky won, by a long neck.”
Lunchtime scores
DIVISION ONE
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Kent 76-4
Taunton: Somerset v Essex 97-5
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 94-4 v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Leicestershire no play before lunch
Headingley: Yorkshire v Glamorgan 92-2
Updated
Lunch round the grounds, as Old Trafford prepare for a mascot race.
A third for Balderson (3-35), as the skies darken even more at OT. Applause from the Lancs dressing room as Leaning has his stumps expertly rearranged.
Climbing walls, fire engine, remote control cars, ice-cream van chaos outside at OT. Inside, Kent have had a small technical hitch: Crawley – carried away after three successive boundaries off Balderson, had a flat-footed waft at Will Williams. Then Drummond gives George Bell some catching practice at second slip. Kent 72-3.
The clouds – and George Balderson – get their reward as Ben Compton is taken by Matty Hurst low, for 13. Kent 48-1.
And no room for Steve Smith in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad:
This is a fascinating interview by Taha with the Champonship’s leading wicket taker, Cameron Steel.
Updated
Migael Pretorius joining in the party on a green one at Taunton, Essex now 52-4. Westley still hangign in there.
With an hour gone – Essex in the most trouble,45-3, with captain Tom Westley steadying the ship. Kent 35-0 at OT while Fynn Hudson-Prentice has just picked off David Lloyd at Derby. A wicket for Ollie Robinson, Derby 50-2. Billy Root and Sam Northeast rebuilding after losing Eddie Byrom early. Glamorgan 42-1. Brother Joe Root and Harry Brook both playing for Yorkshire.
No play before lunch at Lord’s.
A bold single by Crawley, who ends up spreadeagled on the ground at the non-striker’s end after misjudging Tom Bailey’s arm. If Bailey had hit, it would have been a near-thing.
Great enthusiasm under lights being showed by the children let out of the classroom today at Old Trafford. Not every Friday morning that you get to see England’s opener knocking boundaries around. Testing out there though, Kent 27-0.
Four more for Zak Crawley 🕷️
— Kent Cricket (@KentCricket) May 3, 2024
We're 15/0 after five overs.
Live Match Centre: https://t.co/a3mHDBda27 pic.twitter.com/O3DnAZgnqN
Essex slumping most unexpectedly. Now 35-3, two to Coverton – Jordan Cox the last man out after one dreamy drive for four.
Rain currently at Lord’s.
And good morning Tim Maitland! “Hi Tanya, it is possible that Hell has officially frozen over. Yorkshire have picked two spinners at Headingley! Apparently they’re playing on the same track that was used against Derbyshire last week.”
Great spot – Daniel Moriarty and Dom Bess the spin twins. We should see them in action today, if the weather holds, Glamorgan won the toss and are having a bat. Currently 9-0.
Updated
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Old Trafford: Lancashire v Kent
Taunton: Somerset v Essex
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbysire v Sussex
Lord’s: Middlesex v Leicestershire
Headingley: Yorkshire v Glamorgan
Around the grounds, a minute’s silence. At Old Trafford, Lancashire have won the toss and Zak Crawley and Ben Compton get to face Tom Bailey under cloud cover. At Taunton, Essex have got off to a flier against Somerset – or at least they had, Elgar has now been lbw for five. Essex 14-1.
Updated
Around the country, players are wearing black armbands in memory of Josh Baker and flags are flying at half mast. At New Road, they have opened up the Severn Suite for anyone who would like to stop by for a moment of rememberence or to sign a book of condolence.
After Josh Baker’s distressingly sudden death - I saw him play a fortnight ago - I can but recommend, for some small solace, reading Cardus’s essay on another left-arm spinner who died in early season Roy Kilner. And I saw Ben Stokes hit Josh for 34 in an over and he did not hide
— Scyld Berry (@scyldberry) May 3, 2024
The weather is looking a bit ropey here in Manchester – clouds heavy with the wet stuff. But it isn’t coming down – yet. Elsewhere, the Met office promise: “Rather cloudy for many with showery rain. The rain perhaps thundery, especially across southern Scotland, and the north and east of England. Fine and warm, though breezy in the far north. Bright spells across the far south of England too.”
From Gloucestershire earlier this week came the announcement that 23 year old Ben Wells was retiring from cricket after being diagnosed with a heart complaint. An extract from his letter here:
“I’m very thankful for everything that cricket has given me throughout my life, from the friends I’ve made, the places I’ve been able to visit, and the many memories that I’ve made along the way. Cricket has been a massive part of my life for as long as I can remember, it’s been all I’ve ever wanted to do. From playing in the garden as a child with my brother, every break time at school, going to Bath Cricket Club summer camps, playing throughout age group sides, Exeter University, and throughout my time at Gloucestershire, playing cricket has always been my dream and driven everything I’ve done. I could never have imagined that this is the path that cricket would have taken me down. I’ve loved every moment and am very grateful to have had the chance to live out a part of this dream, even if it was only for a few years.
“It’s been a journey full of ups and downs, from not gaining a contract at 18, to being offered the chance with Gloucestershire at 21, dealing with a number of major injuries, and ending my career with my first and only professional hundred on a torn hamstring in what is now my final innings; but I will always look back on everything with fond memories.”
Updated
Devon Thomas banned for five years
West Indies all rounder Devon Thomas, 34, has been banned from cricket for five years after admitting to seven breaches of the anti-corruption code.
The charges included being involved in attempted match-fixing in Sri Lanka’s domestic T20 competition in 2021, as well as not reporting illegal approaches at the Abu Dhabi T10 and Caribbean Premier League
He played 21 ODIs for the West Indies, 12 T20s and one Test.
Hello and welcome to day one of round five of the 2024 Championship. Just five games this round – with top of the table Essex visiting Somerset, and Lancashire entertaining Kent; while in Division Two, Sussex travel to Derby, Leicestershire to Lord’s in a top-ish of the table clash, and Glamorgan to Headingley.
But overshadowing all that, the news yesterday of the death of Worcestershire’s talented 20 year old spinner Josh Baker. Baker came through the ranks at New Road, a young allrounder of great potential, who last year hit the winning runs to secure Worcestershire’s promotion to Division One .
Worcestershire said in a statement, “It was his vibrant spirit and infectious enthusiasm that endeared him to everyone he met. His warmth, kindness, and professionalism were remarkable, making him a true credit to his family and a loved member of our team.”
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