Graham Baker in action for Saints at The Dell. Picture courtesy of Daily Echo.
Former Saints midfielder Graham Baker is set to make a Hampshire county cricket debut next week – 40 years after scoring on his Southampton debut in a 2-0 Second Division victory at Blackpool.
Baker has been picked to play for the Hampshire Seniors’ representative side in the opening Sixties County Championship fixture of the season against Devon at Bovey Tracey.
Baker made 173 appearances for Saints, scoring 33 times either side of a five-year spell at Manchester City.
Even during his time in the professional game Baker – a talented top order left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper - loved spending the off-season playing cricket.
He recalled modestly: “I skippered Hampshire at Under-15 level and was later chosen to play for the West and then got a couple of England Schools caps.
"I remember playing against Tim Robinson once at Jarrow. He made a double-century. He proved a bit later in his career what a decent player he was.”
Baker played locally for Deanery, Old Tauntonians and Southampton Cavaliers in his fledgling days and still turns out regularly for Southampton Travellers in the Hampshire League.
“I’ve been playing for them for the past five years and chalked up a couple of tons last season,” he chuckled.
Hampshire 60s team to play Devon is: Geoff Beale, Mike Swain, Iain Britton, Graham Baker, Leon Nurse, Chris Wood, Chris Yates, Martin Shephard, Andy Yorke, Rick Marston, Steve Mitchell.
Baker has been picked to play for the Hampshire Seniors’ representative side in the opening Sixties County Championship fixture of the season against Devon at Bovey Tracey.
Baker made 173 appearances for Saints, scoring 33 times either side of a five-year spell at Manchester City.
Even during his time in the professional game Baker – a talented top order left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper - loved spending the off-season playing cricket.
He recalled modestly: “I skippered Hampshire at Under-15 level and was later chosen to play for the West and then got a couple of England Schools caps.
"I remember playing against Tim Robinson once at Jarrow. He made a double-century. He proved a bit later in his career what a decent player he was.”
Baker played locally for Deanery, Old Tauntonians and Southampton Cavaliers in his fledgling days and still turns out regularly for Southampton Travellers in the Hampshire League.
“I’ve been playing for them for the past five years and chalked up a couple of tons last season,” he chuckled.
Hampshire 60s team to play Devon is: Geoff Beale, Mike Swain, Iain Britton, Graham Baker, Leon Nurse, Chris Wood, Chris Yates, Martin Shephard, Andy Yorke, Rick Marston, Steve Mitchell.
