Archer helps England win in India
Sussex pace ace Jofra Archer helped England to a hugely impressive win in the first Test in India. With England, winning the toss and electing to bat on a dry, flat wicket, Joe Root continued his fine form from Sri Lanka and starred with the bat, scoring a magnificent 218.
Archer, who not too long ago was playing for Horsham in the Sussex Cricket League, came in with England in a strong position at 525/7 but was dismissed first ball, bowled by ex-Sussex overseas man Ishant Sharma.
However, Archer put his first-ball duck behind him when he came to bowl in the Indian first innings.
Archer’s tactic of bowling leg-cutters paid off almost instantly when he removed Rohit Sharma for six, with the India opener edging through to Jos Buttler. Archer didn’t have to wait long for a second, with opener Shubman Gill chipping a shot in the air for a superb catch by James Anderson for 29.
Archer was unable to get another breakthrough with spin taking over, India eventually dismissed for 337, giving England a lead of 241 runs.
England’s second innings saw a dramatic change in the pitch, with it taking more spin more and seeing uneven bounce.
Archer was the ninth man to fall, bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin for five, and England were all out for 178 but with a lead of 419.
Archer only bowled nine overs in the second innings as spin and the ever-present Anderson took centre stage but he had Jasprit Bumrah caught to seal a 227-run win.