Archer set for red-ball return with Sussex

Jofra Archer, a fast bowler, is expected to play in the County Championship against Durham on Sunday, making him eligible for a long-awaited comeback.

After a number of injuries, most notably to his right elbow and back, Archer, 30, has not played a top-notch match for more than four years.

Although he has since returned to the white ball team, England hopes to make a significant transition to a Division One appearance at Chester-le-Street this year.

Archer made a thrilling debut in the 2019 Ashes after taking the decisive super over in the World Cup final earlier that summer. He was regarded as a generational talent.

In his electric bowling performance at Lord’s, which resulted in the Australia batter retiring hurt after being hit in the neck, he took 22 wickets at 20.27 over four Tests.

Archer hasn’t appeared in white for England since the third Test in India in 2021 despite playing nine more Tests.

On that tour, he experienced stress fractures in his right elbow, which required multiple surgeries. In 2022, he also experienced a stress fracture to his back.

Since Sussex lost to Kent in a County Championship game in May 2021, he has not played any red-ball cricket.

Archer, who was injured in the recent T20 and 50-over encounters against West Indies, returned for the T20 World Cup last year and competed in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, having recovered from a minor thumb injury to make it through 12 months of white-ball cricket unhurt.

In the hope that Archer, who can still travel at speeds above 90 mph, will still be a significant part in the Ashes this winter, England has meticulously managed his schedule over the past 12 months.

An eye will be kept on Archer if he does make a return to the north east while Stokes’ side play India in the first Test at Headingley, according to Test captain Ben Stokes earlier this week when he revealed Archer had texted him about the possibility of playing in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.