Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker was hailed as having "a huge ceiling" as the 23-year-old talent further pressed his England claims by taking a five-for in Hampshire's latest County Championship clash with Somerset.
Baker finished with figures of 5-62 from his 17 second-innings overs, though it wasn't quite enough to see his side victorious as a superb, unbeaten century from Tom Abell (101no) on Monday helped secure table-toppers Somerset a tense two-wicket win.
Hampshire captain Ben Brown was full of praise for his young seamer, who bowled Lewis Gregory and also dismissed Alfie Ogborne to crank up the pressure on Somerset, with 15 runs still required when the eighth wicket fell.
"I'm really pleased for the guy. Sonny was absolutely brilliant all game, and has been all season actually," Brown said. "I think he's got a huge ceiling as a as a bowler.
"He's bowling absolute rockets at the moment. Almost every spell gets up to that sort of 90 mph mark and he's making things happen.
"The ball to Gregory moved back a mile. It's brilliant bowling, it really is. And for tailenders, in particular, it's a nightmare to face."
Baker's third career five-for took his wicket tally to 13 after the first three games of the County Championship, at an average of 21.84, and his form could prompt calls for a first England Test call-up against New Zealand at Lord's on June 4.
Baker did, however, struggle in his first foray into international cricket last summer when flogged for 76 runs from a wicketless seven overs on his one-day international debut against South Africa at Headingley.
Baker shipped 56 from his first four overs at Headingley with Proteas opener Aiden Markam giving him a stark realisation of how brutal the international game can be if you are even marginally off.
He also found the going tough on his T20I debut against Ireland a couple of weeks later, conceding 52 from his four overs and again failing to take a wicket.
A hugely successful 2025 Hundred tournament for Manchester Originals had put Baker on England's radar, with the fast bowler taking nine wickets in seven matches.
Joe Root, David Warner, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith were some of the game's leading lights to be put under the pump by the quick during the competition.
Baker was handed a one-year central contract by England in November, suggesting he is still very much on the selectors' radar for 2026.
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