Academy player Josh Baker produced a fine performance with the ball for Worcestershire Seconds but could not prevent them from suffering a four-wicket defeat against Northamptonshire Seconds in the SET20 at Barnt Green.
Left-arm spinner Baker, a 2020-2021 intake member, returned the excellent figures of 4-0-7-3 after entering the attack with Northamptonshire 81-0 from six overs chasing a 152 target.
The Malvern College pupil bowled Emilio Gay (46) with his second delivery and, in his second over, sent back Charlie Thurston (40) and Dan Lincoln (5) – also both bowled.
Baker sent down 13 dot balls and did not concede a boundary.
With Ben Curran (4) – stumped by Henry Cullen off Jacques Banton – and August Miller (0) run out by Josh Dickenson’s throw from fine leg –
Worcestershire had picked up five wickets for 16 runs in 4.1 overs.
But Nathan Buck (40) saw Northamptonshire to the verge of victory before he was caught at backward point of Club Captain Joe Leach and the visitors reached 152-6 in 16.5 overs.
Banton finished with 4-0-19-1.
Worcestershire had elected to bat, and Tom Fell and skipper Josh Dell put on 57 in 6.5 overs.
Dell (14) sliced Jack White to backward point, and Fell, having made 46 off 33 balls with three sixes and four fours, aimed a blow legside and was caught and bowled off a top edge by Simon Kerrigan.
Banton (23), Alex Milton (20), who relinquished the gloves to Cullen for this game, and Leach (24) made valuable contributions with the bat.
