Archer back for WI decider

MANCHESTER: Jofra Archer was recalled Thursday to England’s squad for their series decider against the West Indies as they weighed up whether star allrounder Ben Stokes would be fit to bowl in the third Test at Old Trafford starting on Friday.

Archer returned despite saying he might not play following racist abuse he received after being left out of the second Test for a breach of coronavirus regulations. But whether the fast bowler is in the same pace attack as Stokes remains to be seen. Stokes rose to the top of the Test all-rounder rankings on the back of scoring 176 and 78 not out in England’s 113-run series-levelling win at Old Trafford completed on Monday. He also took three wickets but pulled up midway through his final over, with England captain Joe Root revealing Thursday that Stokes had suffered a quad injury.

Archer, available for selection after a disciplinary hearing last week, cast doubt over his involvement with a Daily Mail column published Wednesday.

“I need to be 100 percent mentally right so that I can throw myself into my cricket this week,” he wrote.

Barbados-born quick Archer, however, was back in England’s 14-man squad announced Thursday, with the three-match series all square at 1-1.

Archer, 25, underwent five days of self-isolation in his Old Trafford hotel room after breaking the bio-secure regulations governing the series following an unauthorised trip home, but later emerged to bowl in the nets.

“I think Jofra will be ready for it,” Root told reporters.

“He’s had two good days of training and he’s got a smile on his face.

“He’s bowled the speed of light over the last couple of days in spicy nets so it wasn’t much fun for our batters.”