FIT ARCHER VITAL FOR WORLD BID
IT’S almost a year since Jofra Archer played his last competitive match. And one of the key men behind England’s white ball rise believes they need him back sooner rather than later if they are to retain their global 50-over crown in 2023.
England go into today’s decider against India at Old Trafford seeking revenge for their T20 series defeat against the same opposition.
But there’s a nagging feeling that the current crop are still some way short of the 2019 side that lifted the World Cup on home soil.
Archer was a key part of that side. But his most recent game was for Sussex against Oxfordshire in a warm-up for the Royal London Cup back in July, 2021.
Since then, he has had a second operation on his troublesome elbow before missing the whole of the current campaign with a stress fracture of the back.
Archer has recently said that he hopes to be back bowling in time to be part of England’s T20 World Cup campaign in Australia later this year.
And according to Paul Farbrace (below), England’s former assistant coach who helped turn around the country’s white ball fortunes alongside Eoin Morgan and
Trevor Bayliss, his country needs Archer fit and firing.
Because, quite simply, his unique talents can’t be replaced.
“His extra pace, his bounce, the line that he bowls at people, it’s everything,” says
Farbrace.
“Because of his pace and bounce, he makes it hard for you to take liberties with him and I think that’s the really key thing.
“As a batter, you’re not looking to ramp him or run down the wicket at him.
“You’re looking to almost just look after yourself against the extreme pace that he offers.the bounce that he gets makes him so hard to score off.
“He also has exceptional control and he knows what he’s doing all the time he’s out there – he’s got a clear head.
“That’s why people trust him with the important overs.
“Under pressure, you want people who are prepared to bowl the last over and the penultimate over.
“That’s what he does and it’s something he has done extremely successfully in all forms of white ball cricket.”
England have lost only five of the 17 ODIS that Archer has played since making his debut against Ireland in Dublin back in May, 2019.
During that time, he also helped England become world champions for the first time in an unforgettable final against New Zealand at Lord’s later that summer.
It was Archer who was entrusted with the Super Over when the two teams couldn’t be separated after 50 overs.
Archer’s economy rate of 4.74 is among the best in modern ODI cricket.
It’s his pace, though, which gives the England attack an X-factor that’s currently missing, despite their comeback win over India at Lord’s last Thursday.
Farbrace added: “You’ve got very few players who have his skills and his calmness under pressure.
“If Jofra is fit and playing and available then England are so much better as a team. While he’s not there, it’s an opportunity for others to seal their place in the side. But Jofra just brings so much to any team he’s a part of.”