Oakland, June 27, 2026: Former England fast bowler Liam Plunkett made a successful switch from cricket to baseball on Friday, claiming a strikeout in his debut appearance for American independent club Oakland Ballers in the Pioneer Baseball League (PBL).
The 41-year-old, a member of England’s victorious 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup squad, took to the pitch at Raimondi Park against the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds, becoming the latest cricketer to test his skills in baseball.
Plunkett featured under the PBL’s “marketing player” exception, which allows clubs to temporarily sign high-profile athletes from other sports to promote the league.
Starting on the mound, the former England seamer recorded a strikeout in his first outing and later admitted he had initially thought he would simply be throwing a ceremonial first pitch.
“Originally, I thought it’s like the ceremonial opening pitch, but it was the real thing,” Plunkett said after the match.
“I was first on the mound, a little bit nervous, but the catcher was excellent. I got that strikeout. I think the hitter didn’t know what was coming. It was a bit unusual — a mix between bowling and pitching.”
Reflecting on the experience, he added: “Play first game, get a strikeout. What more could I ask for? Happy days!”
Following his international retirement, Plunkett relocated to the United States, where his wife is from, and has remained involved in cricket through Major League Cricket (MLC), representing the San Francisco Unicorns.
Plunkett enjoyed an illustrious international career spanning 14 years, representing England in 13 Test matches, 89 One-Day Internationals and 12 Twenty20 Internationals.
His finest moment came in the dramatic 2019 World Cup final against New Zealand, where he claimed three wickets to help England secure their maiden World Cup title after the match was tied and decided on the boundary-count rule then in effect.
Across all international formats, Plunkett claimed 201 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls, before retiring from international cricket.
