| Josh Baker | |
| Fullname: | Josh Oliver Baker |
| Birth Date: | 16 May 2003 |
| Birth Place: | Redditch, Worcestershire, England |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| Role: | Bowler |
| Club1: | Worcestershire |
| Clubnumber1: | 33 |
| Type1: | First-class |
| Debutdate1: | 11 July |
| Debutyear1: | 2021 |
| Debutfor1: | Worcestershire |
| Debutagainst1: | Warwickshire |
| Type2: | List A |
| Debutdate2: | 25 July |
| Debutyear2: | 2021 |
| Debutfor2: | Worcestershire |
| Debutagainst2: | Kent |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 22 |
| Runs1: | 411 |
| Bat Avg1: | 16.44 |
| 100S/50S1: | 0/2 |
| Top Score1: | 75 |
| Deliveries1: | 3,728 |
| Wickets1: | 43 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 49.53 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 4/51 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 20/– |
| Column2: | LA |
| Matches2: | 17 |
| Runs2: | 100 |
| Bat Avg2: | 14.28 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/0 |
| Top Score2: | 25 |
| Deliveries2: | 789 |
| Wickets2: | 24 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 31.25 |
| Fivefor2: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | 0 |
| Best Bowling2: | 3/29 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 4/– |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches3: | 8 |
| Runs3: | 14 |
| Bat Avg3: | 3.50 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/0 |
| Top Score3: | 5 |
| Deliveries3: | 132 |
| Wickets3: | 3 |
| Bowl Avg3: | 68.66 |
| Fivefor3: | 0 |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling3: | 2/26 |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 4/– |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1265083.html ESPNCricinfo |
Josh Oliver Baker (16 May 2003 – 2 May 2024) was an English cricketer.[1] [2] Born in Redditch, Worcestershire, he was a student at Malvern College from 2016 to 2021.[3] He made his first-class debut on 11 July 2021, for Worcestershire in the 2021 County Championship,[4] after signing a rookie contract with the club the previous day.[5] He made his List A debut on 25 July 2021, for Worcestershire in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.[6]
In December 2021, he was named as one of two reserve players in England's team for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.[7] He made his Twenty20 debut on 25 May 2022, for the Worcestershire Rapids in the 2022 T20 Blast.[8] In August 2022, Baker sustained a lower back injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season.[9] On 21 March 2023, he signed three-year deal at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.[10]
Baker died on 2 May 2024, at the age of 20, after collapsing due to an undiagnosed heart defect.[11] [12] [13] On 9 May 2024, Worcestershire announced that all players would wear the 33 jerseys for the rest of the domestic season as a tribute to him.[14] Worcestershire retired the number 33 shirt in Baker's memory in September 2024.[15]