Sonny Baker’s sharp rise continues with a maiden England call-up for next month’s one-day series against South Africa, while 21-year-old Jacob Bethell will take charge of the three T20s that follow in Dublin.
It is a double milestone. Baker, capable of nudging 90 mph, walks straight into an otherwise familiar ODI squad after catching the eye for Hampshire, Manchester Originals and the Lions last winter. Bethell, standing in for the rested Harry Brook, is on course to become England men’s youngest captain, eclipsing Monty Bowden’s 1889 record by nearly two years.
Selectors have largely kept faith with the group that swept West Indies 3–0 earlier in the summer. Rehan Ahmed returns across formats, Liam Dawson is recalled for the T20s, and Matthew Potts joins the party for Ireland. Gus Atkinson, Luke Wood and Tom Hartley fall out of the South Africa ODIs, though the latter two head to Malahide and Atkinson will focus on red-ball preparation before the Ashes.
Explaining the decisions, men’s selector Luke Wright said: “Jacob Bethell has impressed with his leadership qualities ever since he has been with the England squads and the series against Ireland will provide him with the opportunity to further develop those skills on the international stage.” On Baker, he added: “Sonny is a player we have identified for a while and he was impressive during the England Lions tours last winter. He has carried that form into this season in white-ball cricket with Hampshire and Manchester Originals and deservedly gets his opportunity.”
Workload management remains the watchword. Alongside Brook, four all-format regulars – Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith – will miss Ireland, and Marcus Trescothick steps in for Brendon McCullum on coaching duties.
Bethell’s promotion caps a whirlwind twelve months that has seen the Barbados-born left-hander cement a middle-order slot, bowl useful spin and turn heads with lively fielding. His tactical nous, praised on the county circuit, now receives a sterner examination under lights at Malahide.
Baker, meanwhile, offers skiddy pace and late swing. Still raw, his challenge will be sustaining accuracy over ten overs against a seasoned South African line-up. The selectors believe the upside is worth the leap.
Squads in full
ODIs v South Africa: Brook (capt), Ahmed, Archer, Baker, Banton, Bethell, Buttler, Carse, Duckett, Jacks, Mahmood, J Overton, Rashid, Root, Smith.
T20Is v South Africa: Brook (capt), Ahmed, Archer, Banton, Bethell, Buttler, Carse, Dawson, Duckett, Jacks, Mahmood, J Overton, Rashid, Salt, Smith, Wood.
T20Is v Ireland: Bethell (capt), Ahmed, Baker, Banton, Buttler, Dawson, Hartley, Jacks, Mahmood, J Overton, Potts, Rashid, Salt, Wood.
England close their home summer with six white-ball fixtures before attention turns to the Ashes tour. For Baker and Bethell, September promises both opportunity and scrutiny – the standard trade-off at this level.
