STAND BY YOUR MAN

Archer might be a maverick but England should be backing him – not dropping him

There should be no doubt Jofra Archer is the best man to replace Jimmy Anderson in the third Test here tomorrow and must be given every chance to prove himself fully fit.

If Archer really is only around 80 per cent fit tomorrow after injury, then I can fully understand england leaving him out and instead going with the pace of Mark Wood. But if Archer turns around ahead of the game and says he is confident he has fully recovered from his elbow problem then england have to put faith in him.

Just look at his statistics. Archer has three five-wicket hauls in his first seven Tests. To put that into context, it is the same amount Andrew Flintoff managed in his whole career. And Freddie was described by ricky Ponting last week as one of the best fast bowlers he ever faced.

That is a fabulous start to an international career by anyone’s standards, so why are england in a situation where Wood and Chris Woakes appear to have overtaken Archer for that last place in their Test line-up?

And why should there be a bowl-off, as it was described on Monday, between Archer and Wood in practice at St George’s Park?

It is not how you bowl in the nets that matters, it is what you do in the match. Wood is clearly an excellent bowler, but how can he leapfrog Archer in the pecking order when he has not played a Test for a year?

Is it because Archer is perceived as being slightly different in his approach to the game, perhaps a little bit difficult for the captain to manage? That should be no reason to shy away from the issue and take the easier option. Of course he will have his ups and downs, but Archer is still a young bowler who is inexperienced at this level.

This is not a Jofra Archer issue. It is an english cricket problem. We tend to be wary of people who are a little unconventional, going back to David Gower and then Kevin Pietersen. The highly talented maverick who wants to do things his own way.

Maybe Archer does not always follow the plans put in front of him by Joe root and Chris Silverwood but, at the risk of repeating myself, look at the pace and skill he can bowl with and, most importantly, just look at those statistics he has piled up already.

Jofra is a unique talent, no question. he is one of the new breed of modern cricketer. I’m certain there is passion burning within him. he doesn’t have to be a Ben Stokes and wear his heart on his sleeve. he just needs a bit more understanding.

Archer is the consistent selection, too. First, he must be convinced himself he is fit to get through a five-day Test after his elbow injury. And england should leave it until the last possible moment tomorrow morning for him to make that judgment.

Then, as long as the medical staff agree, Archer should be an automatic choice because he not only represents the best wickettaking option and has a massive X-factor, but he was also the man in possession in the first Test before injury struck.

There was another example of english cricket perhaps being harsh on someone who is a

little different when Jonny Bairstow was dropped as keeper-batsman at the end of last summer and replaced by Jos Buttler.

Bairstow’s keeping stats were very impressive and, even though he had a poor run of form with the bat, he was worth investing in and sticking with. But maybe the fact he can be a bit abrasive at times and say the wrong things counted against him.

As a captain, you do not want to field 11 ‘yes’ men who all stick to the plans and do what they are told at all times. You want different characters who bring different things and quite often the ones with the X-factor are tricky

to manage. It is up to the captain to manage them and make sure they get the best out of them.

Now england, as Graham Thorpe told Sportsmail last week, have to follow up in this Test what they did at Newlands and start producing the goods consistently.

Joe Denly is shaping up nicely at three but now needs to do what Dom Sibley did in the second Test and go on to a hundred. If root, who had an excellent game as captain last time, can come in at 150 for two rather than 20 for two that will make a massive difference. And then the dynamic middle order can really flourish if the platform has been laid.

historically you need a spinner in Port elizabeth and, even though they have left a bit more grass on the pitch in recent years, Dom Bess should carry on now, particularly with the sad news that Jack Leach has to go home.

But let’s not get too giddy about Bess. he did a job in Cape Town for the team but he only took one wicket in each innings and bagged a pair. There is a lot more needed.

Yes, if Archer is not fit then Wood would be a very good replacement because, as well as being quick, the ball could reverse swing for him here.

The pitch looks very abrasive and it will dry out quickly because of the breeze. But if Jofra is ready to go tomorrow he has to play. he is another big piece in the england jigsaw and root has to make the most of him.