Liam Plunkett, the former England fast bowler known for his time at Durham, Yorkshire, and Surrey, has successfully transitioned to professional baseball. The 41-year-old athlete made his debut for the Oakland Ballers in the United States, competing against the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds in the Pioneer Baseball League.
During the match at Raimondi Park, Plunkett threw five pitches and managed to strike out batter Josh Duarte in front of a crowd of nearly 1,900 people. Despite his efforts, the Ballers were defeated 18-11. Plunkett, who played a key role in England’s 2019 World Cup victory, has resided in the U.S. for five years and remains involved in Major League Cricket.
Signed under a marketing exception that allows teams to bypass standard roster rules, Plunkett does not intend to switch sports permanently. He acknowledged that the batting mechanics are significantly different from cricket, noting he opted for pitching because he found it more natural. Throughout his international cricket career, the left-arm seamer claimed 201 wickets across all three formats.
