SA20 2022/23

Watch: Jofra Archer bowls wicket maiden in first over on comeback after 18 months

by Wisden Staff January 10, 2023 - 4:22pm 2 minute read

Watch: After 18 months of injury pain, it was like Jofra Archer had never been away as he marked his comeback with a wicket maiden in his first over for MI Cape Town.

Playing in the opening game of the SA20 against Paarl Royals, Archer was thrown the ball for the third over after George Linde and Sam Curran had opened the bowling.

He began in exemplary fashion, beating the bat of Wihan Lubbe with a back-of-a-length delivery that nipped away off the seam. The next ball was also a dot, and Lubbe attempted to break the shackles off the third, but could only succeed in skying the ball straight up, and Linde took a well-judged catch running in from mid-on.

That brought Jason Roy the crease, but there was no let-up from Archer with his England teammate in his sights. Keeping a tight line and length, Roy was forced to leave alone his first two balls. He failed to make contact with his third ball, advancing and missing a leg-side flick.

Archer last played a top-level game in July 2021, in the T20 Blast for Sussex against Kent. He has had to contend with a back stress fracture and a long-standing elbow issue, but showed little rustiness, reaching speeds in excess of 90mph on his return.