Worcestershire CCC spinner Josh Baker has been rewarded for the excellent start to his first-team career and signed a contract extension to the end of the 2023 season.
In early July, the slow left arm spinner signed a rookie contract, which automatically transitioned into a professional contract following his five LV=Insurance County Championship appearances.
The 18-year-old has now put pen to paper for another 12 months and wants to repay the faith shown in him by Worcestershire, for whom he also made seven appearances in the Royal London Cup.
Baker picked up 12 first class wickets, including 3-49 against Sussex and 3-76 against Kent, and did not look out of place in the first team.
He also scored 61 not out against Middlesex at Lord’s and bowled economically in the 50 over competition.
Baker also impressed when playing for the England Young Lions at Loughborough at the end of the season and is part of the England Under-19 winter training squad.
He follows pace bowlers Adam Finch, Charlie Morris, Dillon Pennington and Mitchell Stanley in signing new deals at New Road and believes the group can go “from strength to strength”.
He said: “I am over the moon. To get enough points (20) to progress from a rookie to a full professional contract was pretty good.
“It is really nice to stay at Worcestershire for longer. It is a great club for my development, and they have shown a lot of faith in me.
“I want to repay that faith, and I am just looking forward to improving, putting in performances, gaining more experience and trying to win some games for Worcestershire.
“The bowling group is quite close; we all get on, so it is terrific to see all the other lads signing new contracts as well.
“Having a group that has been together for quite a while as well, we can only go from strength to strength.”
Worcestershire CCC Bowling Coach, Alan Richardson, said: “I am delighted Josh has extended his contract, and he has quite a meteoric rise over the last couple of months.
“He is a young spinner who is an exciting talent and has shown already he has got a real chance of being a very successful cricketer.
“It is exciting to think what might lie ahead, not just for Josh but these other young bowlers who are gaining experience and being exposed to games.”
The England Under-19 squad for a November tour of Sri Lanka will be announced at the beginning of next month.
