Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Archer commented on the reliability of the speeds registered by the speed guns. “In case you’re wondering I’m still not convinced about the speed gun,” wrote Archer. “I felt it didn’t have its best game at Mount Maunganui, and I came away from Hamilton thinking the same.

“Not just me – all the bowlers were made to look a bit slower than I believe they really are.”

Despite being the quickest recorded bowler in both Tests of the New Zealand series, Archer’s average speeds in Mount Maunganui and Hamilton were 84.86mph and 84.66mph respectively, two miles per hour slower than his previous lowest average recorded speed in a Test match.

Archer’s comments were supported by New Zealand quick bowler Mitchell McClenaghan on Twitter. McClenaghan wrote: “Have to agree (with Archer) – NZ have the slowest radars and it’s not a fair representation of our bowlers (sic) speeds comparatively on the world stage. Hamilton is the slowest in the world by far.”

Have to agree – NZ have the slowest radars and it’s not a fair representation of our bowlers speeds comparatively on the world stage. Hamilton is the slowest in the world by far.

— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) December 5, 2019

The two-Test series represented the toughest period of Archer’s brief international career to date. Prior to the tour to New Zealand, Archer had been England’s leading wicket-taker in their victorious World Cup campaign and had taken 22 wickets at an average of just 20.27 in England’s drawn Ashes series. Archer is aware though, that conditions for bowling will rarely be tougher than those encountered in New Zealand.

“Was Seddon Park a good pitch for Test cricket? I guess it was if you’re looking to sell tickets for five days,” wrote Archer. “But it was always going to be hard for either side to get a result on that surface. I know we had a bit of rain, but 22 wickets in five days tells its own story.

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“At least at Mount Maunganui it helped the spinner towards the end of the match, which was part of the reason we had a result there. But both sides struggled to get the Kookaburra to do much in Hamilton once the ball got a bit old.

“As I walked off the pitch at the end, Stuart Broad put his arm round me and we had a smile and a joke. He was basically saying there wasn’t much more we could have done in those conditions. I certainly know I couldn’t have done any more.”