ARCHER WILL GET ’EM QUIVERING!
‘Buttler needs injured Jofra’s pace threat back’
IT is almost a year since Jofra Archer last played a competitive match.
And Paul Farbrace, one of the key men behind England’s white-ball rise, believes the national side need Archer 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 is a nagging feeling that the current crop under new skipper Jos Buttler are still some way short of the 2019 side which lifted the World Cup on home soil.
Archer was a key part of that success. But his most recent game was for Sussex against Oxfordshire in a warm-up for the Royal London Cup back on July 20, 2021.
Since then, he has had a second operation on his troublesome elbow, before being ruled out of 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 Farbrace, England’s former assistant coach who helped turn around their white-ball fortunes alongside captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Trevor Bayliss, his country needs him fit and firing.
Because, quite simply, his unique talents cannot be replaced.
“His extra pace, his bounce, the line that he bowls at people, it’s everything,” said Farbrace (above).
“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 hoping 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 step up and 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 Archer has played since making his debut against Ireland in Dublin back in May 2019. Archer helped England become world champions for the first time in an unforgettable final against New Zealand at Lord’s later that summer.
It was he who was entrusted with the super over when the teams could not be separated after 50 overs.
Archer’s economy rate of 4.74 is among the best in modern ODI cricket.
It is his pace, though, which gives the England attack an X-Factor that is currently missing, despite their comeback win over India at Lord’s on Thursday.
“You’ve got very few players who have his skills and his calmness under pressure,” said Farbrace.
“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 try and seal their place in the side.
“But Jofra just brings so much to any team he’s a part of.”