Jofra Archer plays in a club match to England’s surprise… just weeks after the injury-plagued bowler is awarded his £800,000-a-year central contract
- Pace bowler Jofra Archer has been struggling with an elbow injury in recent years
- Archer played in a club match in Barbados without permission from England
- General manager Rob Key only found out during a press conference
Jofra Archer made an unscheduled return to a club match in Barbados this weekend without seeking permission from England.
Archer, who was recently signed a new two-year central contract worth around £800,000 a year, played for his old school side Foundations against Lords on the first day of a three-day club match which continues next weekend.
That came as a surprise to England director Rob Key on Monday, even though he was in Barbados and saw Archer bowl encouragingly well during an England net session ahead of the third one-day international against the West Indies after his long battle with injury.
“I didn't know that,” said Key when told of Archer's 'comeback' during a press conference to announce a new England Test squad without their key fast bowler. 'I will look into it.'
Archer took four wickets, one of which came off a left-arm spin, reflecting the gentle nature of an exercise unlikely to cause further problems with the chronic elbow problem that has limited him to seven England appearances in two and a half years.
Jofra Archer bowled a club match in Barbados this weekend without permission from England
His decision to play comes just weeks after England awarded him a lucrative multi-year contract
General manager Rob Key only learned that Archer was playing during the press conference on Monday
But while Key was publicly and privately relaxed about the situation, it was poor of Archer not to at least inform England of his intention to twist his arm during a match after the expensive support they gave him during his long absence from cricket.
The gifted fast bowler flew back to England on Sunday evening to continue his rehabilitation after taking four for 18 and scoring 11 for Foundations but was left out of the England side to face India next month to further protect his elbow.
Key revealed on Monday that England have rejected Archer's request to enter next year's Indian Premier League draft in a fresh attempt to treat him with the utmost caution ahead of what they hope will be a return ahead of at the T20 World Cup in June.
“Jofra was keen to participate in the IPL auction but we feel the best way to do this now is for us to have control over his situation,” Key said before learning about Archer's involvement in the club game. 'We're going to take it easy with him.
'We don't want to set any deadlines for his return. We have done that in the past and we are trying to learn from that. “If it takes a few extra months for him to come back, but we get a few extra years out of him, then it will be worth it because he is worth his weight in gold.”