'Closest thing to Jimmy' - young quick Baker shines for Originals

The Hundred men's competition, Emirates Old Trafford

Manchester Originals 163-6 (100 balls): Buttler 46 (37); J Overton 2-26

London Spirit 153-6 (100 balls): Warner 71 (51); Tongue 3-29

Manchester Originals won by 10 runs

Scorecard. Table

Captain Phil Salt compared 22-year-old fast bowler Sonny Baker to England great James Anderson after he shone in Manchester Originals' 10-run win over London Spirit at Old Trafford.

Baker began Spirit's chase of 164 with five dots and conceded only four runs when asked to bowl the first 10 deliveries.

He troubled two international greats in David Warner and Kane Williamson, who have a combined 38,000 international runs to their name, with swing and lively pace.

That helped limit the Spirit's scoring and, despite Australian Warner hitting 71, the hosts, who left out Anderson after defeats in their opening two games, were always in control.

Warner was caught down the leg side off England seamer Josh Tongue with 38 needed from 15 and Baker returned to dismiss Australia international Ashton Turner for 13 - a deserved reward for a fine spell that cost only 22 runs.

"He was outstanding," Salt told Sky Sports.

"Jimmy had a rest today but that is the closest to what he did, if not better. It will be hard to pick seamers for the next match."

Anderson also praised the highly-rated Baker, who was awarded an England development contract earlier this year despite having never played a County Championship match at that stage.

"I have seen a lot of footage of Baker but not seen a lot of him live," Anderson told Sky Sports. "I have been so impressed.

"Tonight he bowled outstandingly well. He has got pace, skill, swings the ball both ways. He has a lot going for him."

Earlier another talented youngster, 20-year-old Durham batter Ben McKinney, crashed three sixes in a 12-ball 29 on debut to give the hosts a fast start.

From there, contributions of 31 from Phil Salt, 46 from Jos Buttler and 24 by Heinrich Klaasen helped the Originals post 163-6.

'The closest thing to Jimmy'

Baker has the second-highest average pace of any bowler in The Hundred this year

Having missed last year's competition through injury, Baker took 2-26 in the Originals' opening match of the tournament.

His performance on Monday night again showed why he is so highly rated - and why he was retained by the Originals despite having only 10 T20 Blast matches to his name at the start of this season.

Though others have higher top-end pace, Baker has the second-highest average speed in this year's Hundred at 85.6mph.

He was around and above that mark to Warner early on, while also finding significant movement to beat the left-hander with each of his opening three deliveries.

After conceding 10 from his first 15 balls, all that was missing from his spell was a wicket. That came when he bowled quickly into the pitch, Turner was hurried and the right-hander skewed a catch into the leg side.

While England international Tongue finished with 3-29, it was Baker who was awarded player of the match.

"In the first game, opening the bowling with Jimmy Anderson from the Jimmy Anderson end was surreal," Baker said. "I loved every part of it."

He described his plans with the new ball as "just trying to bowl fast and swing the new ball".

"Especially against the left-handers, my preference is to go away from them," he added.

"I was nervous to go too wide [to Warner]. He is a really tough competitor and has been one of the best in the world for a long time.

"He picks up really well if you get too straight and cuts well if you are too wide so you have a small margin for error. I really enjoyed the challenge."

How big is Baker's future?

Baker was awarded his national development contract after a successful winter with the England Lions.

He took eight wickets in two red-ball matches in Australia where he impressed the England hierarchy, including Lions coach Andrew Flintoff.

That he was given an England contract so early - he had not played a County Championship match before this summer - shows how highly England rate him.

Having moved to Hampshire from Somerset at the end of last season, he then took his first County Championship five-wicket haul against champions Surrey in his second match in April.

While a call-up for the Ashes this winter appears fanciful, he will likely be part of the Lions group which will shadow the full side in Australia before Christmas. Should injuries hit, a call-up is not impossible.

Before then, England's white-ball teams play South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ireland and New Zealand when the current Test bowlers' workloads will be closely managed.

More success in The Hundred would put Baker in the mix for one of those squads.

What is happening on Tuesday?

Birmingham Phoenix, still searching for their first win in the men's competition, host Oval Invincibles on Tuesday from 18:30 BST.

You will be able to watch both the women's (15:00 BST) and the men's games live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

You can follow ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.