Sonny Baker has signed a two-year contract extension with Hampshire that will keep the 23-year-old at the club until the end of the 2028 season. The move rewards a fast climb for the pace bowler, who arrived from Somerset in 2025 having played just one first-class match before joining Hampshire two years ago.
Baker has taken 47 wickets in 22 matches for Hampshire, with 36 of those coming in 11 first-class matches, and has become a regular presence at the start of the 2026 season. He played in four of Hampshire's five County Championship matches and took 14 wickets in those first four games, form that has helped cement his place in the side and sharpen hopes that he can keep pushing toward higher honours.
His progress has already taken him beyond county cricket. Baker has represented England twice, including in an One-Day International defeat against South Africa and, three weeks later, in a T20 win against Ireland. That experience has added a new layer to a player who, only a short time ago, was still trying to prove he belonged at this level.
Baker said his focus this year was on earning the trust of senior players by showing greater consistency, and said he feels he has come a long way since last year thanks to the experiences he has had at Hampshire. The extension gives the club a longer hold on a bowler who has moved quickly from prospect to regular, while also giving Baker time to keep building toward the next step in his career.
Hampshire director of cricket Giles White said Baker has established himself as a key member of the team and said it has been great to watch his development during his time at the club. White added that Baker brings a strong outlook, has made the most of every opportunity and combines skill with natural pace, and said he is fully committed, has an exceptional attitude and is delighted to be part of the setup. Baker is now hoping that his form and the backing of Hampshire will help him make his Test debut this summer.
The extension matters because it confirms that Hampshire see Baker not as a short-term success story but as part of their plans through 2028. For a bowler who had so little first-class cricket behind him when he arrived, the deal underlines how quickly he has turned promise into a place in the team.
