England vs New Zealand: Sonny Becker lifts the mood by staying true to himself

Unlike fellow debutant James Riou, who was told he would replace Jimmy Smith in the sauna on Tuesday, Baker has had a few days to prepare for the Test bracket after Ollie Robinson’s knee was examined on Saturday.

Baker is a keen note-taker, and has a book of pointers to remember for each fight, but he also has a handle on how to deal with the pressure that comes with making your debut on cricket’s biggest stage.

A lot of it is about embracing the occasion.

“Until last night I was finding it difficult to eat, and refueling as a fast player is extremely important,” he said. “This morning I felt anxiety building in my stomach.

“I was very honest with people because I was very nervous during the day. Once you start warming up, it all goes away and you get stuck.”

With England naming three debutants in their squad for the first time in nine years, the pre-match huddle lasted longer than some first dates.

Rew received his cap from Somerset team-mate Marcus Trescothick, while Jordan Cox received his cap from Essex legend Nasser Hussain.

Baker, a self-proclaimed fast bowling geek, was handed over by another in the county he had just joined – former England fast bowler Stephen Finn.

“Giving the hat was more emotional than anything else, as I saw how proud my father was,” he admitted.

“I was trying not to be emotional in front of the other players, but I was struggling a little.”

When Baker’s first wicket was completed, perhaps with emotion bubbling, he initially headed in the wrong direction, shifting to deep third instead of his long-leg field position.

After the correction, a section of the Oval audience received him to applaud him.

“It was appropriate,” Baker said. “In T20s and such, when there is music, you don’t really feel the crowd as much.

“When it’s silent and there’s only a horn in the background, you really feel the crowd behind you.”

It was not lost that Baker Test’s debut came on such an unusual day.

Three debutants, one man with more caps than the rest of the squad combined, the captain more than 250 miles away and his career in the balance.

Far from perfect, but England looked optimistic and composed throughout.

Devon-born Baker added: “It was really great.” “The players have tried to put it behind us and deal with the situation as it is.

“The relaxing nature of the environment really helps from a neurological standpoint.”

Soon, Baker’s duties were completed for the first day as he turned to another sporting event.

“The rest of the guys will be upset if you take any longer,” he said as he left the stage.

There was a FIFA World Cup to watch.

Last week, with everything surrounding the Ben Stokes situation, was a dark week for English cricket.

This was Sony’s day.