ARCHER MISSES

and then I was up at 6.15am to do a tutorial.

“At the start of the winter I had planned to be at home for the majority of it but I think I’ve only spent six or seven weeks at home since.

“I’m travelling the world doing what I love. I’m not sure you can ask for much more than that.”

Coping with doing a degree alone would be enough for most people.

But now Jennings (above, training in Sri Lanka this week) could be thrust back to the top of the England order on some of most demanding pitches in world cricket.

“I’ve got three modules of my degree that I need to finish,” he added.

“When I said I would do them this winter I was told that would be quite a lot of work but I told them it wasn’t a problem.

“Maybe I should have listened to them!

“The plan is to finish the degree in June and then I’ve applied for an MBA.

“Funnily enough, the more I’ve taken on, the more I feel like I’ve enjoyed my cricket. I like to keep busy.

“I want to continue pushing myself from a business sense and not necessarily make plans for life after cricket but just continue to develop because I think it has helped my cricket in a weird kind of way.”

If Jennings is called on in Sri Lanka then Joe Root will hope that the Lancashire lefty’s studious approach brings benefits on the pitch as well as off.

JOFRA ARCHER’S hopes of featuring in this year’s Indian Premier League are over.

England say the paceman is “progressing as expected” following a fresh scan on a stress fracture sustained during the winter tour to South Africa.

But the medical update has also ended any faint hopes Archer, 24, (below) could fulfil some part of his lucrative £800,000 IPL deal with Rajasthan Royals.

An ECB statement said: “Archer’s focus will be playing for England, starting with the West Indies Test series, which commences in early June. He will play

County Championship cricket in May for Sussex to ensure his preparation is optimal for Test cricket.”