England's newest one-day bowler, Sonny Baker, endured a nightmare debut at Headingley on Tuesday, conceding 44 runs in his first three overs as South Africa's Aiden Markram hit him for sixes. The 22-year-old was subsequently dropped for the second match of the series at Lord's.
Baker's figures rank as the second-worst ODI bowling debut of all time, but he can take heart from cricket's rich history of less-than-dream debuts. Jimmy Anderson, Adil Rashid and West Indies' Jediah Blades are among other bowlers to suffer notable early nightmares.
Harry Brook, England's captain, admitted his team had not given Baker 'the ideal start' to international cricket. But Brook also made sure to give him a second spell, following the example of Eoin Morgan, who skippered Liam Dawson's similarly disastrous debut in 2016.
Dawson, Baker's Hampshire and Southern Brave teammate, will likely offer comfort and advice. His return to the England fold after a three-year hiatus is a reminder that every career unfolds in its own way.
Adil Rashid, who bowled at the other end in Baker's second spell, has a Test debut that merits its own page on the Guinness World Records website. His 163 runs for no wickets against Pakistan in 2015 was the worst return for a Test bowler on debut, yet he took a five-wicket haul in the second innings.
Jimmy Anderson's first T20 in 2007 saw Matthew Hayden nearly decapitate him with a straight drive, and Adam Gilchrist hit him for three consecutive sixes. Anderson held the worst T20 debut figures for 14 years, but went on to become the most wicket-taking pace bowler in Test history.
