It took Jofra Archer just three balls to send Lord’s wild.
After four years away from Test cricket due to a litany of injuries (elbow and shoulder mainly), there would have been nerves for Archer, despite his typically relaxed demeanour. Did he still have it?
It would be wise not to make any snap judgments on this fairy-tale sporting comeback that we feared might never happen – we need to see if the fast bowler can back things up spell after spell, game after game, before we declare him officially ‘back’.
Archer bowled the third-fastest new-ball spell for England since 2006
But it was hard not to make snap judgments after witnessing Archer’s electric return to the pinnacle of the sport – and watching him nick off Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first over. He still had it, all right. The run-up smooth, the pace effortless, the impact huge.
‘England are going to win The Ashes’ was probably being typed in WhatsApp groups. ‘Oh, no’, was a possible response down under.
Chucked the new ball and asked to deliver the second over of the India innings, Archer rushed Jaiswal with his first delivery, bent his second past the outside edge and induced the nick with his third.
Harry Brook safely swallowed the catch at slip and Lord’s erupted. Archer roared, sprinted away in delirium, embraced Shoaib Bashir in a massive hug and pointed towards the England dressing room.
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Check out Archer’s first over in full on day two of the third Test at Lord’s
‘In big games he does things other players can’t’
It was a scorching first over, with Jaiswal’s dismissal followed by Archer bowling the fastest delivery of the series to Karun Nair and then inducing an inside-edge from a nip-backer.
It was a scorching initial five-over spell, the third-fastest new-ball spell for England in Tests since 2006, behind only Andrew Flintoff (vs Australia at Edgbaston in 2009) and Steven Finn (vs New Zealand in Dunedin in 2013). The high was 93.3mph, the average just shy of 90.
“Drama, excitement, theatre and joy,” to quote Sky Sports Cricket’s Stuart Broad, were rife. But that is what Archer does.
He brings high pace and he makes things high octane, especially at Lord’s. That World Cup Super Over in 2019, that Ashes spell to Steve Smith later the same summer and now this heart-warming return.
When Jofra gets the ball in his hand there is that change in the game. The opposition feel it as well – they know what he can do in a spell.
England captain Ben Stokes, speaking ahead of Lord’s Test
England team-mate Joe Root said of Archer’s sizzling comeback: “It was great. The noise and the pure, genuine joy everyone had seeing him back in whites and playing for England again in Test cricket.
“It created a great atmosphere, him running in bowling 94mph and taking a wicket in his first over. That’s the sort of player he is.
“It was great to see the love for him. When you can get a whole crowd up and about you clearly have something special to offer.
“He is X-factor and adds to us, in the dressing room and out on the field. In big games he turns up and does things other players can’t.
“It was great to see him smiling and enjoying his cricket, being so impactful and keeping his pace up.”
How will England look after prized asset?
And Archer did keep his pace up. No drop-off during his second and third spells, which included getting a ball to rear up at KL Rahul, as he ended with figures of 1-22 from 10 overs, with three maidens.
The task now for batters is to deal with a bowler who seemingly has it all – speed, skill, accuracy, hostility and the ability to lift a crowd.
The task now for England is to manage this most prized of assets as they look to not only win this series but also the looming Ashes.
You sense there will be no repeat of the 42 overs in an innings he was nonsensically asked to bowl on a turgid Mount Maunganui surface against New Zealand during his first stint as a Test cricketer. “He has to be an impact bowler,” was the sage advice of Sky Sports’ Ian Ward.
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Watch highlights from day two of the Lord’s Test as Archer and fellow fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah sizzled
But that chat is for another day, really.
This day was all about the moment.
A moment that made Archer’s long and arduous rehab worth it, a moment that intoxicated those at Lord’s, a moment that had England fans thinking ahead to the Ashes with optimism.
And it only took three balls.
Watch day three of the third Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am Saturday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract. Coverage picks up on Sky Sports Main Event at 1.45pm.
England vs India – results and schedule
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports
