Jofra Archer is potentially a once-in-a-generation cricketer who qualified to play for England last month, an all-action all-rounder who is talented and exciting enough to be promoted to the national team without delay.
Yet not everyone believes this should happen. Citing cricket’s codes of fair play (even morality was mentioned), as well as the one which insists that stripes must be earned not gifted, many believe Archer, Barbados born and raised, should be made to wait before being promoted to the England team for something as important as a World Cup.
Perhaps hearing those voices, several of them emanating from within England’s one-day team, Ed Smith and his selectors have included Archer, 24, in the squads to play Ireland and a T20 against Pakistan, and in another squad to play five ODIs against Pakistan. He has not yet been included in the 15-man World Cup squad, which was provisionally named alongside the others, but Smith has until May 23 to rule him in or out with the smart money being on the former.
I just don’t see the caveats others clearly do in picking him for the impending World Cup. The meritocracy side of the argument says he should be selected straight away. I know Sussex, his county, have used him only sparingly in 50-over cricket, but he has excelled for them in both T20 and the County Championship, so he is by no means a one-trick pony.
England’s 50-over side has a fine, aggressive batting line-up but it’s bowling does not display the same dynamism and excellence. Archer, who can bowl at 90mph with good control is an X-factor performer in that regard and only a stubborn fool would turn one of them away when they come knocking, back door or not.
Denne historien er fra April 19,2019-utgaven av The Cricket Paper.
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Denne historien er fra April 19,2019-utgaven av The Cricket Paper.
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