Two former King’s College, Taunton pupils, Sonny Baker and James Rew, have just returned from Australia where they have been playing together for the England Lions, writes Richard Walsh.

Both players enjoyed impressive schoolboy careers at King’s, and played for their county age groups, Sonny for Devon and James with Somerset, before joining the academy at the Cooper Associates County Ground, from there they were awarded professional contracts.

Fast bowler Sonny, who hails from Torquay, made his Somerset debut in 2021 in the List A match against Derbyshire.

James, who is a school year younger, is a batter/wicket-keeper who lives in Taunton, also made his List A debut in August 2021 against Surrey at the Oval.

Since then, James has gone on to become a regular member of the Championship side, while Sonny, who at times has struggled with injury, departed from Somerset at the end of last season to join Hampshire.

The two know each other very well and were reunited on the Lions tour to Australia earlier this year.

In the match between the England Lions and a Combined Australian XI, Sonny enjoyed figures of 4/43 and 1/28, with James claiming a catch off the bowler in each innings.

Now back in England, James said: "It was great to be on tour with Sonny as I haven’t played with him for a while, probably the last time was when we won the Second XI T20 Trophy against Yorkshire at Wormsley CC.

"I first played with him at Kings at Under 15s and at that age he was the fastest bowler I had ever kept to.

"It was great to keep wicket to him for the Lions and see him doing so well on the tour, still bowling rapidly and terrorising batters."

Sonny said: "It was fantastic to play with Rewy again and great to catch up having moved to Hampshire.

"He’s a good mate of mine and I was so glad that he and Bash (Shoaib Bashir) could be there for my debut.

"We had played together in quite a few national cup games but unfortunately, we were twice finalists but never won it.

"We’d also played together in Somerset’s Second XI."

Rob Woodman, Head of Cricket at King’s, said: "It’s great to see two more of our former pupils making a name for themselves in first class cricket and playing together for the Lions against Australia.

"They were both very exciting, focussed and hard-working players at King’s helping us to reach two national final days in 2021 and 2022 as well as winning the U15 National Final."