Published 21:51 IST, July 16th 2020
Michael Atherton says Jofra Archer's absence will put England at a disadvatage in 2nd Test
Former English skipper Michael Atherton has said that Jofra Archer's unavailability in the 2nd Test against WI will put England at a disadvantage
Michael Atherton has expressed disappointment after Jofra Archer was omitted for the ongoing 2nd Test match at the Old Trafford in Manchester for breaching bio-secure protocol ahead of England's must-win contest against West Indies and he believes that the hosts are at a huge disadvantage as it has further weakened their bowling attack. England are already without the services of James Anderson and Mark Wood who have been rested.
'It's very foolish': Michael Atherton
“It’s very foolish for a number of reasons. One, it cost him a place in the team. Secondly it’s thrown England’s plans into disarray, a vital Test match that they must win to try and win this series,” said Mike Atherton on the Sky Sports Cricket broadcast.
“And thirdly it’s put at risk all the work that ECB have done. These six Test matches, three against West Indies, three against Pakistan, they’ve had to do a tremendous amount of work to get these games on,” the former English skipper added.
What made Archer miss the 2nd Test?
The Barbados-born pacer's actions (violating the team's bio-secure protocols) means that the 2019 World Cup winner will have to commence a five-day isolation period followed by two rounds of COVID-19 tests after which the self-isolation norm will be lifted. Archer, who faced criticism for not bowling at consistent speeds in the first Test, issued an apology for breaching the protocols and said that he was 'pained to miss the 2nd Test' and that he felt like he had let down both the teams. The West Indies team have also been apprised of the situation and are reportedly happy with the measures taken against Jofra Archer.
A must-win match for England
After they were outplayed by a spirited West Indian team at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, this is a must-win match for England to stay alive in the three-match Test series as the hosts look to settle scores at the Old Trafford. England will be pumped up by the return of their regular Test skipper Joe Root who had missed the previous match as he was on paternity leave.
Updated 21:51 IST, July 16th 2020