Ashes 2019 | Jofra Archer is not going to stop bowling bouncers because of what happened, says Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes reckons no bowler, especially Jofra Archer, is going to stop bowling bouncers because of the Steve Smith incident in the second Ashes Test match which ended in a draw. Archer made an eye-catching debut at Lord's, bowling with sustained pace and aggression in both innings.
When Steve Smith was hit on the back of the neck during his first innings, it quickly recalled the tragic memories from the death of Phil Hughes under similar circumstances in 2014. Thankfully, the Aussie No.4 was able to walk off the pitch although he was subsequently withdrawn from the game on the final day with a concussion. Despite the incident, Stokes confirms that Archer will continue to use his main weapon in the rest of the series and beyond.
"It's part of the game and a big part of Jofra's game, being aggressive, not letting batsmen settle. That bouncer of his is a huge asset and he's going to keep on doing it. When someone takes a nasty blow, no bowler is going to say I'm not going to bowl that again because I don't want to hit them again," Stokes was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.
Stokes, who was fielding at leg gully at the time of the incident, had a clear vision of what unveiled before his eyes. He revealed that he later texted his Rajasthan Royals teammate to make sure he was recovering well.
“Not one of the nicest things to see on a cricket field, seeing someone go straight down like that was a pretty scary couple of minutes for everyone out there but it was great seeing him get back up. I messaged him last night to see how everything was... we've got a good relationship from playing together at Rajasthan and so does Jofra. I had a little giggle with him, which was good, saying Jofra's a good shot to hit that pea-head. I think he was as good a fettle as he could have been. It was good to see him get back up and walk off the pitch," Stokes said.
Smith will be assessed in the coming days but his participation in the next game in Leeds remains in doubt. However, it wasn’t just Smith who faced difficulty in dealing with Archer. In fact, he seemed more up for it than the other Aussie batsmen. Stokes reckons that it is Archer’s nothing-revealed run-up, delivery stride, and action that makes it difficult to deal with.
"He doesn't have any tells. Some bowlers you get a tell when they're going to bowl a bouncer or a different ball. Because everything is so rhythmical with Jofra it is tough to see when that bouncer is coming. He's very tight to the stumps as well. Everything looks just so languid, you wonder if he's loose and then he fires one... watching the ball fly through, it was very impressive to watch,” Stokes added.
The third Test of the five-match Ashes series will start at Headingley, Leeds, from August 22. Australia leads the hosts 1-0 in the series thus far, and only need one more win to regain the urn.
