England’s World-Cup hero Jofra Archer solidified his hopes of making his Test debut in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s after claiming six wickets for Sussex Second XI on Tuesday.
Bowling against Gloucestershire at the Blackstone Academy Ground, the 24-year-old returned figures of 6-27 in just 12.1 overs. With James Anderson ruled out of the second Test after aggravating a calf injury at Edgbaston, the Barbados-born pacer is expected to be called up if the selectors are happy with his fitness.
Archer complained of a side strain after his glorious World Cup campaign, admitting that he was in “excruciating” pain at times during a tournament that yielded 20 wickets at 23.05, before sending down the decisive super over in the final against New Zealand at Lord’s.
Six for 27 in 12.1 overs – @JofraArcher is fit and firing 🔥
A Test debut awaits? pic.twitter.com/VCW63eErhC
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) August 6, 2019
Archer’s fiery spell for Sussex’s second-string side, which included four maidens, helped Sussex bundle out Gloucestershire for just 79. His scalps included Tom Price, Gareth Roderick, Matt Brewer, Gregory Willows, Dominic Goodman and Jack Worgan.
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
England lost the first Test by a whopping 251 runs, unaided by the fact that their highest-ever Test wicket-taker, Anderson, limped out of the attack after just four overs on the opening day. If Archer’s included at Lord’s, it will add another chapter to Archer’s meteoric rise in international cricket this summer, after he qualified to play for England earlier this year.
The second Test between England and Australia begins on August 14.
