The Sussex head coach, Paul Farbrace, says he “wouldn’t pick” Jofra Archer for next week’s second Test against India, warning that just 18 overs of bowling with the red ball for the first time in four years may not be enough preparation.
“I would be definitely sticking with Chris Woakes for Edgbaston because he knows the pitch inside out,” the former England assistant coach Farbrace said. “Why change the team? They’ve just won the Test at Headingley. They’ve set themselves up nicely for the series.
“If I was in their situation, my honest answer would be that I would save him for the third Test match. I think you have to be careful that he’s only bowled 18 overs of red-ball cricket.”
Whether or not England decide they need to boost their firepower before Edgbaston will depend somewhat on their assessment of Archer at the end of the championship game. “When I’m asked,” said Farbrace, “I’ll report back that he looks in great rhythm, he bowled very nicely.”
Archer returned to first-class cricket for the first time in four years on Sunday, in Sussex’s County Championship game against Durham at Chester-le-Street – though curious spectators had to wait as captain John Simpson didn’t throw him the new ball.
He looked in tip-top shape and after a precautionary first spell sent down a fiery second set of six overs, including the wicket of Emilio Gay and some sharp short stuff. There was also a decidedly nippy four overs on Tuesday morning. Neil Killeen, the England bowling coach, watched on from the balcony approvingly and Archer finished the innings with figures of 18 overs, one for 32 – though like all fast bowlers in these midsummer rounds of championship cricket, he was handicapped by the soon-to-go-soggy Kookaburra ball, as well as a placid Durham pitch.
“The whole point of this was that he got some red-ball overs. He bowled with good pace, he bowled with good accuracy, his body is in good shape, which is fantastic, and we’d all love to see Jofra playing for England, because England having Jofra available makes England a much better team, and gives us a much better chance of winning the big series,” said Farbrace. “So let’s look after him and be careful with him. But it is fantastic to have him back.”
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The coach caused something of a stir last weekend when he chose not to announce Archer’s presence in the Sussex squad. “What I failed to understand is quite the significant media interest there is. Rob Key rang me on Saturday when we were driving here to practise … and said: ‘Where’s Jof?’ I said: “He’s sitting here behind me on the bus.’ He said: ‘Why’s he not in your squad?’ And I said: ‘I was trying to be clever and look after him.’ And then I had half a dozen of the top reporters from the national newspapers ringing me and texting me … Obviously I misjudged that.”
