Hannah Baker

Baker was far from a household name at the beginning of the 2022 season but is one of the players to watch in 2023

The Cricketer | 01/04/2023 at 12:44

DOB: February 3, 2004

Role: Right-hand bat, right-arm leg-spin

Hannah Baker was far from a household name at the beginning of the 2022 season but is one of the players to watch in 2023.

The leg-spinner, who made her Sparks bow at the age of 17, cemented her spot in the side in 2022, taking 12 wickets in all competitions, and earned a professional contract off the back of her form.

She went on to represent England at the inaugural Under-19s Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa and told The Cricketer ahead of the tournament that she wanted "to be one of the best". She picked up 10 wickets – the third-most in the tournament – as England reached the final.

Baker joined the Worcestershire pathway at Under-11s before moving to Warwickshire in 2020 and cites Sarah Glenn, Shane Warne and Alex Hartley as her spin-bowling idols. She represented Welsh Fire in the first two editions of The Hundred and has been drafted by Birmingham Phoenix in 2023.

On her bowling, Baker said: "I'd say [my role] is constricting runs and taking wickets, being an attacking option. And just something different because I turn the ball and not many spinners turn it as much."