Express pace the only way to get best out of Archer in Test cricket Southern Brave re-sign Warner for the Hundred
➤ England should use their quickest bowler in short, sharp bursts to maximise his prodigious skill levels
To manage a player properly you have to spend a lot of time in their company working out what gives them joy, what makes them angry, what their ambitions are in life and for their career, and what motivates them.
You have to spend time in their room, just being with them to work out who they are. Jofra Archer is a bit different as a character, which is why he is such a good player and why he should be lining up for England in the third Test today.
Archer’s selection was one of the issues the England camp were wrestling with in the build-up to this match, but they have to maximise what he can bring to the team and at the risk of stating the obvious, that can only happen if he is selected.
There are whispers he does not love Test cricket. As a captain, you have to establish the facts and find out if that is true and why. One of the criticisms of Jofra that comes to mind when you watch him in Test matches, is that you want him to bowl a bit quicker and look a little bit more interested.
In Twenty20 cricket he is buzzing all the time, which I get as it’s a three-hour game compared to a five-day match. As a management group, you have to accept there are players in this era who prefer the shorter formats to Test matches. Somehow, England have to make Test cricket enjoyable for Archer.
The best way to do that is give him the ball and tell him to bowl as quickly as he can. Tell him he will be used in short spells, so he does not have to worry about bowling 25 overs in a day. They need him to come on cause some chaos and let others do the donkey work. And when he is batting, I want to see the attacking side of him. I have seen clips of him for Sussex and England and he can strike the ball well, and that is what I want in Test cricket. Free him up to enjoy the game.
He is not going to be the one who jumps out of bed and will be jovial at breakfast or on the team bus. While that is the nature of some players, you have to get his personality out of him at the right moments. You have to leave him be sometimes. If he likes being on his own on his gaming consoles, then fine. Let him do what he wants.
I do not think being in and out of the side helps. He needs a long run in the team; to enjoy Test cricket you have to get good at it and you do that by playing games.
He has a natural ability to release the ball out of hand with so-called “no effort” at 90mph and to get steep bounce. You only have to look at his opening spell in the first
Australia opening batsman David Warner has rejoined Southern Brave for the inaugural Hundred.
Southern Brave had just two slots to fill and secured Warner, who was a first-round pick by the franchise in the 2019 draft for the 2020 tournament before the batsman dropped out due to other commitments.
The 34-year-old was one of only 10 overseas players in yesterday’s draft, with the highest available reserve price of £100,000, and was the third pick. Southern Brave also signed Warwickshire slow leftarmer Danny Briggs, while the women’s side have added England spinner Sophia Dunkley.
Lancashire fast bowler Saqib Mahmood was signed by the Oval Invincibles. Colin Ingram, Brandon Glover and Jordan Clark also joined.
Australia Women’s vice-captain Rachael Haynes, recently named her country’s ODI player of the year, will captain the Oval-based women’s side and will be joined by England’s Mady Villiers.
Trent Rockets were able to secure the signings of experienced Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel and Holland international Timm van der Gugten in the draft.
New head coach Andy Flower made the draft picks after taking over from Steven Fleming, with Sarah Glenn, Sophie Molineux and Annabel Sutherland joining the women’s squad.
West Indies star Nicholas Pooran and South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada were among new arrivals for Manchester Originals. They had 10 slots to fill and got the top pick, which they used to bring in 25-yearold wicketkeeper Pooran, who has averaged 49.05 in 25 ODIS for the West Indies and 21.23 in 24 T20s.
Head coach Simon Katich also snapped up Jamie Overton, Harry
Gurney, Shadab Khan, Tom Lammonby, Steven Finn, Colin Ackermann, Richard Gleeson and Tom Hartley. The new faces join Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, who were retained from last year’s squad after the inaugural season was postponed.
Women’s team head coach Paul Shaw added England bowler Sophie Ecclestone to his squad
Former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara has been drafted by London Spirit. The 35-year-old was selected along with Hampshire’s Chris Wood. Tammy Beaumont has been drafted for the women’s team.
Olly Stone will team up with England team-mate Ben Stokes after he was named in Northern Superchargers’ squad. Fast bowlers Matthew Potts and Matthew Fisher also
enter the fray, with Harry Brook and Callum Parkinson rounding out the men’s outfit.
England all-rounder Alice Davidson-richards and Australia duo Alyssa Healy and Nicola Carey have been added to the women’s squad.
Meanwhile, West Indies allrounder and second pick Kieron Pollard was drafted by Welsh Fire. He is joined by Australian paceman Jhye Richardson. Jake Ball, Ian Cockbain, Josh Cobb, Matthew Critchley and David Lloyd have also been picked by Welsh Fire.
England spinner Bryony Smith and Australian T20 World Cup winners Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney and Jess Jonassen are confirmed for the women’s side.