Worcestershire County Cricket Club will honor the memory of their late left-arm spinner Josh Baker by wearing his No. 33 on their playing shirts for the remainder of the season. Baker, who had made two County Championship appearances this season, passed away suddenly on May 2 at the age of 20.
Baker was a highly promising cricketer who had represented England at under-19 level. He signed his first contract with Worcestershire in 2022 and had already made a significant impact on the team. In 22 first-class matches, he took 43 wickets, while in 25 limited-overs appearances, he claimed 27 wickets.
The day before his passing, Baker had taken 3 for 66 in the first innings of Worcestershire’s four-day 2nd XI Championship match against Somerset. The match was called off early on the final day as a mark of respect.
Players wore black armbands during the most recent round of the County Championship, which began on May 3. Worcestershire declined to comment on the nature of Baker’s death, asking for “the respect of privacy” on behalf of his family.
After consulting with the family, Baker’s teammates have decided to honor his memory by wearing his squad number on the front of their shirts, under the club crest.
“It is clear from the outpouring of love we’ve seen, following last week’s awful news, that Josh touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” said Worcestershire CEO Ashley Giles in a statement released on Wednesday.
“Wearing Josh’s number on their shirts is a way for the team, and all involved with Worcestershire cricket, to pay tribute to his memory and keep his spirit alive on the field.”
“Josh’s mum and dad, Lisa and Paul, have asked us to thank everyone for the hundreds of messages of love and support that they have received since Josh’s passing.”
“As we all continue to navigate through this very difficult time, we encourage our members, supporters, and the cricketing community to join us in honoring Josh’s memory and celebrate the life of a remarkable young man who will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Worcestershire will wear the commemorative shirts for the first time on Friday, when they play Kent at Canterbury in Division One.
