Published 18:09 IST, September 14th 2019
Ashes 2019 | Jonathan Agnew to Jofra Archer: Prove it in Australia
Ashes 2019: Jonathan Agnew wants Jofra Archer bowl in Australia. Agnew talked about Archer’s quick learning skills as he learnt to bowl very good knuckleball.
The fast-growing clout of English pacer Jofra Archer in test cricket has forced the world to take notice of him and cricket pundits are anticipating even better performance from him down under. Cricket broadcaster and former English cricketer Jonathan Agnew said that he can’t wait to see Jofra Archer’s bowling on Australian pitches. While speaking to BBC Sport’s Amy Lofthouse, Agnew said that it will be fabulous with more pace from Mark Wood along with Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes. He also hopes that he will get to see a test quartet of Jofra Archer, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes at some stage in the future.
Ability to learn quickly
Agnew talked about Archer’s quick learning skills as he learnt to bowl very good knuckleball within a week and executed it in the Super over of the World Cup final with a packed Lord’s watching. “It shows how talented he is. He can learn quickly, and he has the confidence to do well. He will go from strength to strength, no doubt,” said Agnew. He said that Archer is a laid-back sort of fellow and he seems to have fitted in really well with England in all formats.
The curious case of Jofra Archer
The Barbadian-born English cricketer was snubbed by the Windies cricket and he would have to wait till 2022 to play International cricket for England by completing seven-year residency rule of England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB). But the fortunes of Archer turn around after ECB decided to cut residency requirements from seven years to three. England had asserted that the change in rule had nothing to do with a particular individual and it was only to bring English cricket in line with the rest of the world. But, according to several media reports, the Windies cricket was not happy with the way England amended the rules and also accused them of poaching.
Journey in T-20 league
Jofra Archer, who moved to Sussex after missing out on Under-19 World Cup team of West Indies cricket in 2014, made his test debut in the ongoing Ashes and have already bagged two fifers within four test match. After a successful campaign in Australia’s t-20 Big Bash League (BBL), Archer was bought by Rajasthan Royals of much-coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) team as a bowling all-rounder. Archer ended the season with a tally of 15 wickets. He was bought in the auction at a steal price of Rs 7.2 crore.
Updated 20:48 IST, September 14th 2019