TOUGH ON JOFRA
Root and Archer out of sync as flat track hampers star bowler
KYLE EDMUND accused the sneaky Spaniards of dirty tricks after a late change to their line-up just before their Davis Cup semi-final.
The British star only learned five minutes before walking out that the hosts had subbed left-hander Feliciano Lopez in the place of Pablo Carreno Busta. The Spaniards claimed the World No.27 suffered a thigh injury after the team had been announced.
But the former British No.1, again picked ahead of Andy Murray, was not affected by the lack of preparation. He used his big serve and forehand to hammer his way to victory 6-3 7-6 – his third consecutive singles victory since being recalled on Thursday.
Edmund said: “I found out about the change five minutes before, basically. And yeah, Busta actually came to warm up on the bike. After two minutes, he left. I said straightaway: ‘Something is a bit weird there’.
“They knew what was going on... they just went to the rules, they could do that. But if you say about this spirit, it’s professional sport, it happens in football. Little mind games.”
THE idea that Jofra Archer would be England’s overseas saviour on flat pitches might not be as bright as hoped as Joe Root struggled to get the best out of his prized asset.
The expectations on the shoulders of the paceman, 24, playing in just his fifth Test and first overseas are quite ludicrous.
But such is the excitement generated by his World Cup and Ashes bow it perhaps still came as a surprise that he went wicketless on a day when BJ Watling carved his name into Test history with the first hundred on the newest Test ground in the world.
Yes, the pitch was flat, yes, the heat was energy-sapping and yes, Watling batted beautifully and patiently, but England fans were left scratching their heads as skipper Root and Archer appeared to be anything but in sync on a chastening day.
And they were not the only ones questioning the tactics Archer was asked to employ by mainly bowling short.
Former England batting coach and BBC Test Match Special pundit Mark Ramprakash said: “Jofra Archer is a better bowler than the role he is being asked to play. The role he is being asked to play in this match is the wrong one. He should be bowling more balls at the top of off-stump. Root has got a new toy and there needs to be some communication and understanding of how to get the best out him.”
Having lost a Test series in Australia and then New Zealand, Root is well aware of how difficult it is to take 20 wickets away from home in unfamiliar conditions and with a ball that offers far less seam movement than the Dukes ball at home. This remains the biggest challenge for his England team who are tying to evolve and become ready to compete more strongly Down Under in two years.
And it is a learning curve for Archer too who came up against arguably the finest Test wicketkeeper batsman in the world.
So, too, did Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Jack Leach, mind you.
They are a work in progress and this is only the first attempt away from home, so there are bound to be teething problems – and from the first of two bad misfields from Archer a team- mate was overheard on the stump mic cajoling: “This is a Test match!”
Head coach Chris Silverwood later said: “Jofra is still very young in Test cricket, but I can’t fault his effort. He’s learning about himself and the game of Test cricket and, equally, Joe is learning to captain him as well. From a holistic point of view, we’re growing together.”
Watch out for: Marvin Bagley