Worcestershire pay tribute to Josh Baker by wearing 33 shirts

Worcestershire will wear Josh Baker's number 33 on their shirts for the remainder of the season as a tribute to the left-arm spinner, who died last week aged 20.

Baker, who made two County Championship appearances this season, died suddenly on 2 May. He was a popular member of the Worcestershire dressing room and signed his first contract with the county in 2022 at the age of 17. He took 43 wickets in 22 first-class matches and 27 in 25 limited-overs appearances. He had also represented England at Under-19 level.

The day before his death, he had taken 3 for 66 in the first innings of Worcestershire's four-day 2nd XI Championship match against Somerset at Bromsgrove School. The match was called off early on the final day. The players wore black armbands as a mark of respect during the final round of the County Championship, which began on 3 May.

Worcestershire declined to comment on the nature of Baker's death. They asked for "privacy" on behalf of his family. After consulting with the family, Baker's teammates have decided to honour his memory by wearing his squad number on the front of their shirts, below the club crest.