'Everything's going to plan' - assessing Archer's summer

Jofra Archer and Lord’s. Some things just fit.

Cricket’s home was host for the England fast bowler’s two standout moments – the World Cup super over and his Ashes spell to Steve Smith, both in 2019.

On Friday he returned for the first time since that second Ashes Test and delivered a timely reminder of his talents.

“There's no better place to do it than here,” the 29-year-old said, having taken two wickets in England’s crushing 186-run victory in the fourth one-day international that set up Sunday's series decider.

Archer’s third over was his quickest since September 2020, before the cruel run of injuries which has hampered his recent career.

He hit a top speed of 92.9mph. His average was 88.7mph, Archer’s quickest across any format in an innings where he has bowled five overs or more.

If the raw numbers were encouraging, so too was the near-perfect delivery to Mitchell Marsh which gave him his first wicket.

It was full, probing and, with the unquantifiable 'zip' that makes him special, moved away slightly up the Lord’s slope to beat the bat, knock back off stump and leave the Australia captain wide-eyed and stunned.

“I've been back to this rhythm for a little while now,” said Archer. “I felt it in the World Cup and I've just been taking it series by series.”

Archer’s miserable run of injuries since 2019 are well-known.

The most serious were the recurring stress fractures in his back and right elbow. The more unusual the cut to his hand sustained while cleaning his fish tank.

They ruled him out of the T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022, plus last year’s 50-over edition. He has not played a Test since February 2021.

But his latest return came for the T20 World Cup in June where had a decent tournament, if unspectacular by his previous high standards.

He took 10 wickets in the Caribbean - no England bowler managed more - while his economy rate of 7.21 was the second best among their pace bowlers.

In eight T20 internationals this year his threat with the new ball has dropped (just four wickets in eight powerplays) but he remains among the world's best at the death, conceding just 7.62 runs per over in those overs this year.

But perhaps most crucially, Archer played in all eight matches at the World Cup.

He followed that with a full turn out for Southern Brave in The Hundred and this month he has played in four of England’s six completed white-ball matches against Australia.

He began with two wickets in the first T20 in Southampton before two more in each of the ODIs at Chester-le-Street and Lord’s.

If Lord’s was the high, the first ODI in Nottingham, where he conceded 53 runs in a rusty six overs, was probably the toughest moment.

At Chester-le-Street too he started well – 2-36 in his first eight overs – before conceding 31 in his last two.

Those were the first two professional matches he had bowled more than four overs in more than 18 months.

“I'm still on the park and we're almost approaching the end of the summer,” he said after the win at Lord’s. “So for me, that's a take.

“I wanted to play a summer, and then I want to play a year, and then I want to play a few years. So everything is going to plan.”

The sight of Archer succeeding against Australia – he also hit Marnus Labuschagne with a bouncer in another throwback to 2019 – is even more tantalising, given what is to come.

He may not play the series decider in Bristol because it is hoped his meticulously-planned comeback will lead to a Test return and the Ashes in Australia in the winter of 2025/26.

Archer once again confirmed he wants to play in England whites again but refused to be drawn on when that could be.

“You got to speak to Craig [England physio Craig de Weymarn] or Keysy [managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key], to be honest.

“I'm just going series by series.”

Archer’s next cricket will likely be the white-ball tour of West Indies in November, which comes between the Test team’s tours of Pakistan and New Zealand, where Archer will look to build further.

“The World Cup was a good check mark,” he said. “This [fourth ODI] was a good check mark. The Caribbean will be another good check mark.

“I know I’ve been out, it’s been a while but I am playing cricket again and I’m just happy.”