Jofra Archer has not bowled a delivery in anger for England since March 2021, when he figured in an international T20 contest with India. He went at more than 10 an over that day and finished a 36-run defeat with no wickets and only one run.
It is safe to assume that the Barbados native has grown a little tired of waiting on an opportunity to mark out his run-up again.
There is, however, light is at the end of the tunnel for a man who has undergone two operations on his right elbow since staring down Virat Kohli and Co more than 12 months ago. A welcome return to training with the England camp was made during a recent tour of the Caribbean.
Work with the champ today @JofraArcher pic.twitter.com/QaD9DD8PiC
— Tevyn Walcott (@walcott15) March 24, 2022
He has also been retained by the defending champion Southern Brave, who are 3/1 in cricket betting at Betfair to successfully defend their title when The Hundred gets underway again this summer, so he may be about to get the competitive game time he so desperately needs. Expect them to feature heavily in the cricket tips for individual matches as they will be a tough team to beat, especially if Archer gets back to his best, as they look to defend their title.
After so long restricted to a spectator role watching on from afar, one of the most mercurial talents in the world game is ready to be let off the leash. That should be considered cause for optimism in English cricket at a time in which positives have been in short supply.
No risks
It would be foolish to expect Archer to hit the ground running with his trademark express speed after being stuck on the sidelines for over a year, and it is for that reason that he is poised to be handled with care.
England, it would appear, are prepared to leave an enigmatic presence out of their Test plans this summer, with alternative options set to be considered for outings against New Zealand, India and South Africa in which experimentation may well be the order of the day following a winter of red ball discontent.
There have been suggestions that Archer could return to international duty for another round of T20 action with India in July – which would bring him full circle – and The Hundred will begin shortly after that in August.
That competition could not be more timely, with wickets and runs up for grabs ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia. A starring role on a domestic stage would help to put a 2019 World Cup winner back in contention for another shot at more global glory.
Happy birthday to Jofra Archer, who has done many special things on a cricket field, but perhaps none more so than delivering a ball which travelled all the way for six off the top of off-stump.pic.twitter.com/u8dqtJYJwv
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 1, 2022
He will, after being forced to sit out the entire 2021 campaign, be linking up with a Southern Brave squad that is both settled – with 11 players being retained – and confident after picking up a useful winning habit.
Confidence, along with bat and ball in hand, is what Archer requires most right now. He needs to know that he can push himself to the limit again and that a skillset which once struck fear into the most distinguished of rivals remains in full working order.
After more than 365 days spent wondering if that is the case, there are now a Hundred reasons to be hopeful.
