Jofra Archer hits batsman on helmet and takes wicket on return for Sussex

Jofra Archer warmed up for his return to England action next week by bowling six overs for Sussex’s second team, hitting a batsman on the helmet in his second before taking a wicket minutes later.

Archer was making his first appearance on English soil since 20 July 2021, when he turned out for Sussex against Oxfordshire in a warm-up for that year’s one-day cup. He has not played a match at any professional level since last year’s Indian Premier League.

His first over was a little loose, with Kent opener Ben Dawkins slashing him over backward point for a streaky four first ball, but he was quickly into his groove. In his second over, 17-year-old opener Ekansh Singh was hit on the helmet by a short ball, leading to a break in play for a concussion test. Next over, Singh flashed an edge and was well caught at third slip.

In his fourth over Archer hit the other opener, Dawkins, on the hand in what was a hostile spell featuring plenty of short stuff, with the Sussex wicketkeeper frequently taking the ball high above his head. In his final over, he and his Sussex team-mates were convinced they had a catch strangled down the legside, but the umpire was unmoved. Soon after his spell ended, he left the field.

The 29-year-old has been persistently troubled by injuries to his right elbow and back for the last four years. But he is in England’s squad for next month’s T20 World Cup, and the four-match series against Pakistan which starts at Headingley on Wednesday. He will report for duty in Leeds on Saturday evening.

This was a Second XI Championship match played in whites and with a red ball against young opponents, but on the evidence of his five-over spell for Sussex’s against Kent counterparts in the sleepy surrounds of Beckenham, he will arrive in good working order.

Kent require 282 to win on the final day, with Archer subbed into the Sussex XI to bowl a single spell to prepare for action in T20 cricket. In recent weeks, he has been playing club cricket in Barbados, where he grew up, but this was a step up.

England plan for Archer to only play white-ball cricket this season. While he exploded onto the Test scene in 2019, he has not played a Test since 2021, and England hope to carefully manage him to the 2025/26 Ashes. They hope he can be a key figure in their post-James Anderson world.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.