Jofra Archer suffers concerning injury scare on County return

England and Chris Silverwood have been dealt with concerning news as the Three Lions’ ace pacer, Jofra Archer, did not bowl a single ball on Day 3 of Sussex’s clash against Kent in Hove owing to a ‘sore elbow’.  After missing close to two months of action, Archer returned to professional cricket earlier this week in Sussex’s clash against Kent and impressed instantly, scalping two wickets in the first innings.

However, the 26-year-old, after sending 5 overs in Kent’s second innings, did not bowl a single ball on a rain-affected Day 3, in which Sussex bowled 24 overs. The club, according to both Sky Sports and the Guardian, have confirmed that Archer will not be bowling again in the second innings due to concerns over his elbow. 

The development is a major setback for England as apart from the Three Lions’ home summer starting in just over a fortnight’s time, it is the elbow injury that has been bothering Archer since the turn of the year. Archer missed half the Test series against India after getting injections to his elbow, and also missed both the ODI leg of the tour and the first half of the Indian Premier League to recover from the injury.

He was eased back into professional cricket by the ECB, with the board slotting him into a second-XI fixture last week, but the news of the 26-year-old sustaining a ‘sore elbow’ comes as concerning news for the English board. According to Sky Sports, it is now likely that Archer will be left out of the two-Test series versus New Zealand.