Pace pairs ‘honesty call’ on Test fitness
ENGLAND will ask Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer to make an ‘honesty call’ about their fitness for the Boxing Day Test, with Broad’s vast experience making him a likelier option to take the field against South Africa.
Both have been struck down by illness on the first week on tour and head into the series opener having sat out all five days of warm-up cricket, which concluded three hours ahead of time yesterday with early handshakes in a low-key draw against South Africa A.
Spinner Jack Leach is similarly undercooked but he looks set to miss out anyway, with England seemingly ready to rely on the part-time spin of captain Joe Root and Joe Denly. The question of what to do with Broad and Archer is considerably thornier, with both men first-choice selections at full power.
Skipper Root, who also has Lancashire’s Jimmy Anderson returning from injury, made it clear that the deliberations ahead will be challenging and will rely on the players’ own account of their readiness.
“It’s a tricky one. They will do everything they can to be ready and that’s all you can ask,” he said.
“When it comes to it we’ll have to make some very shrewd decisions. We shouldn’t take anything off the table and just evaluate things sensibly when we’re in a position to.
“You want to make sure they can really let themselves go and get through 20 overs in a day, 25 if they absolutely had to. It’s a fine art but there’s trust on either side that has to be taken into account. It’s a case of making an honesty call. I’m sure the guys will make the right decision.”