James Baker (New Zealand cricketer)

{{short description|New Zealander cricketer (born 1988)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=October 2015}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = James Baker

| image =

| country = Samoa

| fullname =James David Baker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|2|16|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Tokoroa, New Zealand

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium-fast

| role =

| club1 = Northern Districts cricket team

| year1 = 2010/11–

| international = true

| T20Idebutdate = 8 July

| T20Idebutyear = 2019

| T20Idebutagainst = PNG

| T20Icap = 1

| lastT20Idate = 15 September

| lastT20Iyear = 2022

| lastT20Iagainst = Fiji

| date = 17 January 2023

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/388740.html Cricinfo

}}

James Baker (born 16 February 1988) is a Somoan cricketer who plays for Northern Districts and captains the Samoa cricket team.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/388740.html |title=James Baker |access-date=30 October 2015 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2017–18 Plunket Shield season for Northern Districts, with 34 dismissals in ten matches.{{Cite web|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12046;team=2567;type=tournament |title=Plunket Shield, 2017/18 - Northern Districts: Batting and bowling averages |access-date=4 April 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} In June 2018, he was awarded a contract with Northern Districts for the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23797021/central-districts-drop-jesse-ryder-contracts-list |title=Central Districts drop Jesse Ryder from contracts list |work=ESPN Cricinfo |access-date=15 June 2018}}

In June 2019, he was selected to represent the Samoa cricket team in the men's tournament at the 2019 Pacific Games.{{cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=2-2642-0-0-2642&sID=24021&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=65651026 |title=Athlete List for Samoa 2019 Pacific Games |work=Pacific Games Council |access-date=21 June 2019}} He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against Papua New Guinea, on 8 July 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1192811.html |title=1st Match, Pacific Games Men's Cricket Competition at Apia (No 1), Jul 8 2019 |access-date=19 July 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} Samoa's 157-run victory against New Caledonia in the tournament's bronze medal match earned Baker a bronze medal.