Jofra Archer set for First-Class return after four years, boosts England’s injury-hit pace attack

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FILE: England pacer Jofra Archer in action. (REUTERS)

England pacer Jofra Archer is set to return to First-Class cricket for the first time in four years after being named in English county side Sussex’s squad for their away match against Durham, starting on Sunday. Despite initial confusion over his availability, as Archer was not named in a 12-player squad for the County Championship match, his return in the Sussex squad, as later clarified by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), will give England a much-needed boost.

Archer has not played a Test match since February 2021, and his last red-ball match was for Sussex in May 2021 after a series of injuries kept delaying his return. The ace pacer has since returned to international white-ball cricket for England, with his last appearance coming in the ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan earlier this year.

Archer is among many English quicks currently out through injury, with Mark Wood, Olly Stone and Gus Atkinson all currently unavailable. Wood said he is targeting the fifth India-England Test for his potential return from injury, while Archer could make his international return for the second India-England Test.

England captain Ben Stokes has said the 30-year-old is “absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on.”

Speaking on Archer, “Randomly, a couple of times he would just send me a text saying, ‘Zimbabwe?'” said Stokes to Sky Sports, referencing England’s innings victory at Trent Bridge in May. “I was like, ‘Let’s just hold it there, alright. I know you’re in a good spot right now but let’s not just rush into it’. He’s obviously had a horrific time with injuries but he’s had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats.”

“It’s really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he’s in a position now where we’re able to have a plan in place, and hopefully him get through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket,” he added.

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