On a night when The Hundred demanded a spark,it found one in a wiry young swift with a familiar swagger. For the Manchester Originals, emerging pace bowler Baker produced a spell of fast, incisive bowling that drew instant comparisons with England legend James Anderson, prompting BBC commentators to describe him as the “closest thing to Jimmy.” In a format often dominated by big hitters and towering totals, Baker’s control, movement and nerve under pressure stood out, offering a tantalising glimpse of a new seam-bowling talent ready to shoulder greater duty. This is the story of how a little-known youngster seized his moment on the big stage – and why those inside the game are suddenly paying very close attention.
Baker emerges as Originals spearhead under pressure with pace and control
With the match slipping towards a stalemate and the Originals searching for a breakthrough, it was the 20-year-old seamer who seized the narrative. Baker hit the pitch hard, married brisk pace with searching lengths, and – crucially – refused to let the pressure valve release. His spell was characterised by a relentless rhythm: brisk run-up, strong gather, and a late dip that repeatedly forced batters onto the crease. The result was a burst of wickets just as the opposition eyed acceleration, turning a flat contest into a tactical arm-wrestle the Originals suddenly looked likely to win.
What sets him apart so early in his career is not just the speed through the air, but the poise to construct overs like a veteran.He varied his seam position,tightened his line when under attack,and trusted a fuller length when conditions demanded it – a blend that drew unavoidable comparisons with Anderson’s knack for suffocating intent. His performance can be summed up in a few sharp metrics:
- New-ball menace – early swing at high pace unsettled top-order plans.
- Middle-overs control – dot-ball pressure forced high-risk strokes.
- Death-overs nerve – accurate yorkers and subtle changes of pace.
| Key Spell Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Overs Bowled Under Power-Play | 2 |
| Dot-Ball Percentage | 46% |
| Wickets in Pressure Phases | 3 |
| Boundary Balls Conceded | 4 |
Technical analysis of Bakers action length and seam position compared with Anderson
Side-on at the crease and braced through the front leg, Baker’s loading pattern is eerily reminiscent of England’s all-time leading seamer. The alignment of his hips and shoulders stays tight to the target, allowing the ball to leave the hand with a high, repeatable release point that mirrors James Anderson’s best work at Old Trafford. Where he differs is in tempo: Baker gathers energy a fraction later in his run-up, creating a slightly more explosive final bound that translates into a touch more raw pace, if occasionally at the expense of control. Coaches around the Originals camp highlight how his wrist position stays upright for longer, enabling him to manipulate both conventional and subtle wobble seam with a maturity that belies his age.
Anderson’s genius has always lain in how he disguises tiny seam adjustments, and the new quick is clearly mining that seam-bowling blueprint. Baker’s natural length is half a meter fuller than many young speedsters, deliberately hunting the corridor where both edges are in play rather than banging it in. His method can be broken down in a few key traits:
- Length discipline: Prefers a probing, top-of-off zone rather than a defensive back-of-a-length plan.
- Seam stability: Consistently upright seam, allowing late swing with minimal telegraphing of movement.
- Wrist leverage: Subtle angle shifts to move from away-swinger to wobble seam without changing arm speed.
- Crease use: Similar to Anderson, he walks wide and then tight to the stumps to alter angles to right- and left-handers.
| Metric | Baker | Anderson (template) |
|---|---|---|
| Average length | Full, attacking | Full, probing |
| Release height | High, slightly front-on | High, classic side-on |
| Primary weapon | Wobble seam | Lateral swing |
| Pace vs. control | Leans to pace | Leans to control |
How the Hundred can nurture Bakers development through tailored workloads and red ball opportunities
The franchise window offers a rare chance to shape a young seamer’s calendar rather than overload it. By pairing data-led workload management with close collaboration between the Originals, county staff and ECB medical teams, Baker’s overs can be curated rather than accumulated. Short, high-intensity spells with clear tactical roles – new-ball strikes, powerplay variations, death overs – allow him to hone skills under pressure while avoiding the burn-out that has stalked promising quicks before him. Coaches can dial up or down his involvement in training and matches using GPS, wellness reports and video analysis, ensuring his action remains repeatable and his pace sustainable across formats.
- Managed overs in domestic red-ball cricket
- Targeted skills blocks between Hundred campaigns
- Shared analytics between club and national set-ups
- Role clarity for new ball and reverse-swing phases
| Phase | Format | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Hundred season | White-ball | Skill under pressure and pace retention |
| April-June | County red-ball | Long spells, seam control, patient plans |
| Sept-Oct | Select red-ball games | Reverse swing and fourth-innings tactics |
Where the competition can be quietly transformative is in how it links to multi-day cricket rather than competes with it. With smart scheduling, Baker’s white-ball spikes can be followed by carefully chosen County Championship fixtures, giving him new-ball responsibility on responsive pitches and the chance to work through longer spells when the ball is older. The Originals’ analysis – from release points to wobble-seam success zones – can feed directly into those red-ball outings, accelerating his understanding of angles and fields in a format where patience is king. This joined-up pathway turns each Hundred campaign into a launchpad for sustained, Test-ready growth rather than just a highlight reel of late-summer fireworks.
What England selectors should prioritise now to fast track Baker without risking burnout
For all the understandable excitement around Baker’s length, wrist position and repeatable action, the national panel now faces a subtler task: designing a pathway that builds his skills without burning through his body or his confidence.That means moving away from the old binary of either locking a young quick into non-stop domestic cricket or wrapping him in cotton wool. Instead, selectors should work with the ECB performance staff to map out a season-by-season plan that includes targeted red-ball spells, controlled white-ball exposure and defined recovery windows. A simple framework could see him play in short, intense blocks, then step back for conditioning and technical work, rather than being dragged from franchise to franchise on reputation alone.
- Match his workload to his frame – overs and spells tailored to his physical maturity, not his hype.
- Protect his shoulder and back – ring-fence strength and mobility blocks as non‑negotiable.
- Stagger formats – avoid peaking for all three at once; phase in T20, then ODIs, then longer Tests.
- Keep communication clear – Baker, coaches and selectors aligned on expectations and rest periods.
| Phase | Main Focus | Selector’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| Next 6-12 months | Technique & fitness base | Limit overs,prioritise coaching environments |
| 12-24 months | Domestic impact | Choose key red-ball and T20 windows,rest around them |
| 24+ months | International integration | Targeted series,managed tours,no back-to-back overload |
The other critical element is psychological. England have seen too many young quicks arrive with the hype of a saviour, only to be crowded by expectation. Selectors should resist the urge to brand him an automatic heir to Anderson and instead give him clear, modest roles in any early call-ups: new-ball hit in home conditions, short bursts as a change bowler overseas, or specific match-ups in The Hundred and the Blast. Surrounding him with senior pros who understand rhythm and longevity – and giving him access to Anderson’s experience when possible – would turn raw attributes into a sustainable career, ensuring that the “closest thing to Jimmy” doesn’t become another cautionary tale of too much, too soon.
To Conclude
As The Hundred continues to search for its next generation of match-winners, Baker’s emergence offers a compelling storyline for the Originals and for English cricket more broadly. Comparisons with Anderson will rightly be treated with caution, yet the signs are hard to ignore: control, movement, temperament, and an appetite for the big occasion.
For now, the “closest thing to Jimmy” tag is both a compliment and a challenge. If Baker can carry this early promise into the long grind of domestic seasons and the unforgiving glare of international scrutiny, the Originals may not just have found a short-format weapon, but a bowler capable of shaping England’s future. The sample size is still small, but the statement has been made. All that remains is for Baker to keep delivering – one spell at a time.
