Under-fire Root will be counting on newcomer Archer to rocket England back into Ashes reckoning at Lord’s

questionable. Archer brings with him a point of difference, even though a fully-fit Jimmy Anderson would be the first name on Root’s teamsheet, if truth be told. But he must use the paceman cleverly.

The skipper swayed gently out of the way of a question first up about who is set to open the bowling. “We don’t really need Skipper Root had plenty to discuss with national selector Ed Smith at nets practice yesterday to have a set plan on that – we can see what the conditions throw at us and see what we think is best to go with,” he said.

But assuming that was nothing more than sophistry, Australia will fully expect a barrage from Archer early on, opening the bowling in tandem with Stuart Broad.

Root should use Archer in short, sharp bursts from the Pavilion End given his angle of attack.

With his delivery from close to the stumps and the slope bringing the ball back into the right-handers,Australia’s orthodox batsmen – Cameron Bancroft, Smith and captain Tim Paine – might find themselves uncertain which balls to play and leave. The left-handers will have the ball angled across at pace.

Either way, Archer will cause a problem. “He will bring pace, take the ball both ways and has a great bouncer,” said Root. “And he also brings a huge amount of confidence in his own ability, which is great for a young guy to have.

“Coming off the back of a very good World Cup, under huge amounts of pressure, the scrutiny of coming into that right at the last minute, he dealt with that