How did Archer fare on his red-ball return?

The timing was essentially perfect.

A glimmer was offered 90 miles up the A1 as India celebrated its century, one that threatened to take England’s first Test away from Headingley and add to their bowlers’ labor.

Emilio Gay was pinged by Jofra Archer in his first first-class match in four years.

Given the larger picture, it was significant for Sussex to fight Durham, but it was even more significant.

England hope that Archer, who made a fantastic start to international cricket in 2019, will start playing Test cricket as soon as the second Test against India at Edgbaston on July 2 with serious elbow and back injuries.

National selector Luke Wright confirmed Archer might be available for the second India Test at the start of June, suggesting that he might be interested in this summer’s international schedule, despite the possibility of a box office reunion with Australia in the winter against Australia in the Ashes.

After six overs, he replaced another former England Test bowler, Ollie Robinson, who had given Durham the ball, making the score 9-0.

With England bowling coach Neil Killeen present, Archer made an appeal for caught behind down the leg side, but the umpire did not hear back.

The eye was drawn to a pacey second spell 45 minutes after lunch, despite Archer’s first four wicketless overs for 11 runs being accurate.

In his third over, Archer had Durham left-hander Gay fending off from in front of his helmet while Will Rhodes was hit in the back of his helmet, and he had a loud lbw appeal turned down.

Archer, who also featured Robinson, Durham’s England bowler Matthew Potts, and Australia’s Gurinder Sandhu, would not be denied. He was the quickest bowler on display in a match that also featured Robinson, Robinson, and Gurinder Sandhu, an international from Australia.

With the second ball of his next over, he found a hint of inswing and sat in front of the Durham opener. He went fuller to Gay from round the wicket.

Archer celebrated with a beaming smile after raising the umpire’s finger in a match against Kent on May 14, 2021. This was his first white wicket.

By the end, he was cruising to the crease after two more overs.

However, it was never going to be a day where Archer would completely destroy a starting lineup to claim a Test spot.

The pitch was slow, with strong gusts of wind sweeping across the ground for much of the day, and this round of County Championship matches were also being played with a Kookaburra ball, which is typically used in Australia but swings less than the made Dukes.

It created a bowling rig that was neither fast nor swinging.

Given that he has only played limited-overs cricket as his injuries were managed, Archer has not bowled more than 10 overs in a game since May 2021.

After tea, he returned for a further spell after which he had a 10 in his legs and returned with figures of 0-9 from his sixth maiden overall.

His second delivery, which fell horribly short of wicketkeeper John Simpson, was lacking in bite in the final outburst.

During his red-ball absence, Archer’s elbow injuries, which have required numerous surgeries, and a stress fracture in his back have been his most pressing issues.

However, he claimed that those issues have now “looked fine” after the break.

The mental aspect of the game, he said, “is a bigger issue now that I know my body can hold up to it,” he told BBC Radio Sussex.

“I’m going to have a battle with it over the next few days.” Everything is fine. I’ll continue to truck along.

When the scoreboard reached 50 overs, I said, “It’s time to come off now,” but by the end of the day, the situation was okay.

“It was fine,” he said. The pitch was not very effective. The ball feels a little more exciting when it moves around.

A typically relaxed Archer responded, “I guess so,” when asked if he was ready to resume his Test game.