Veteran of 2019 Champions Makes Baseball Debut for Oakland Ballers
Liam Plunkett, a former England cricketer and member of the 2019 World Cup-winning team, has transitioned from cricket to baseball, playing his first game for the independent American club Oakland Ballers and achieving a strikeout.
The 41-year-old bowler was part of England’s victorious 2019 Cricket World Cup squad, marking his final international appearance by taking three wickets in the tied final against New Zealand. England won the match by the narrowest margin, decided by the boundary count rule. Following this, Plunkett relocated to the United States, where his wife is from, and has since played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Unicorns.
His latest sporting endeavour is with the Oakland Ballers, a team competing in the Pioneer Baseball League (PBL), an independent league recognized as an official Major League Baseball (MLB) Partner League. Plunkett joined under the PBL’s "marketing player" exception, a provision permitting teams to temporarily sign prominent athletes from other sports.
During the game against the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds at Raimondi Park on Friday, Plunkett took the mound and successfully recorded a strikeout. Reflecting on the experience, he said:
"Originally, I thought it’s like the ceremonial open pitch, but it was the real thing. I was first on the mound, a little bit nervous, but the catcher was excellent," Plunkett stated.
"But I got that strikeout. I think the hitter didn’t know what was coming. It was a bit unusual, a mix between bowling and then pitching. Play first game, get a strikeout. What more could I ask for? Happy days!"
