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England’s back-up bowling stocks have been hit by the news that Sonny Baker will play no further part on the tour of Australia.
Hampshire’s Baker is with the England Lions but appears set to return to the UK after experiencing soreness in his shin.
It is the second blow to the Lions in the past few hours, after Surrey’s Tom Lawes also departed to an ankle injury injury, reducing the squad to 15 players.
As reported by Daily Mail Sport in August, England’s Ashes long-term planning included packing their second-string travelling party with pace reserves - led by the 22-year-old Baker, his county colleague Eddie Jack, Mitchell Stanley and Josh Hull - as standby options in the event of players being ruled out of the full squad.
One or two of them could yet remain on the ground here beyond the Lions tour concluding with a four-day ‘Test’ against Australia A in Brisbane early next month - to cover the final three Ashes Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
Baker was awarded his first central contract last month and although he endured harrowing one-day and T20 international debuts, leaking 11 runs an over across matches against South Africa and Ireland, the England management have invested in one of the quickest bowlers in the country.
Sonny Baker (left) and Tom Lawes (right) have both been forced to leave the Lions camp
Prior to his maiden call-ups in September, he impressed with his ability to touch 90-mile-per-hour pace with Manchester Originals in the Hundred.
But he has played no part on this trip - which started with a three-day fixture between England and England Lions - due to the niggle.
Lawes, also 22, did feature in that match at Lilac Hill, sending down nine wicketless overs, but has since returned home after it became clear he would not be fit for the Lions programme’s only first-class fixture from December 5-8.
Full international Rehan Ahmed incurred a leg injury in the pre-Ashes warm-up fixture and has been back at Grace Road, undergoing his rehabilitation with Leicestershire, with a view to fulfilling his deal with Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.
