Archer strikes with third ball on Test return against India

AFP | London

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Jofra Archer marked his long-awaited return to Test cricket by taking a wicket with just his third ball as England hit back a g a i n st I n d i a a t Lord’s yesterday.

The express fast bowler had suffered more than four years of injured-induced exile since the last of his 13 Tests.

But on the Lord’s ground where he helped England win the 50- over 2019 World Cup b e f o r e making a dramatic Test debut, with an Archer bouncer concussing Australia’s Steve Smith during that season’s Ashes, the 30-yearold Archer was soon back in the old routine.

Yashasvi Jaiswal had launched India’s reply to Engl a n d ’ s first-innings 387 with a first-ball cut for four off Chris Woakes.

But next over Archer struck with just his third ball when he produced a 90 mph fulllength delivery that squared up Jaiswal, who could only nick to Harry Brook at second slip as he fell for 13.

Archer roared in celebration as he ran towards Shoaib Bashir at square leg, with the often restrained crowd at Lord’s erupting in raucous cheers.

At tea, India were 44-1 with Barbados-born Archer’s figures 1-16 in five overs.

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah gained a coveted place on the Lord’s honours boards with a five-wicket haul before England paceman Brydon Carse’s maiden Test fifty frustrated India.

Bumrah, the world’s topranked Test bowler, took 5-74 in 27 overs as England were bowled out after lunch.

Bumrah’s haul included a brilliant burst yesterday of three for one in seven balls that reduced England, who resumed on 251- 4, to 271-7, with the fast bowler dismissing captain Ben Stokes, century-maker Joe Root and Woakes.

But tailender Carse frustrated India with 56 after he shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Jamie Smith. England wicketkeeper Smith made India pay for dropping him on five with an innings of 51.

That followed his impressive scores of 184 not out and 88 during India’s crushing 336-run win in the second Test at Edgbaston last week.

That victory meant India levelled this five-match series at 1-1 despite resting Bumrah in Birmingham.

Initial interest yesterday focused on whether Root, 99 not out overnight, would go on to make a hundred, which he duly did with a first-ball boundary off Bumrah.

Root’s 37th Test century took him into fifth place on an alltime list headed by India’s Sachin Tendulkar with 51 hundreds.

Stokes, fit following a groin injury that hampered him on Thursday, had added just five runs to his overnight 39 when he was bowled by a Bumrah delivery that jagged back and smashed into off stump.