Jofra Archer ruled out of England v New Zealand Test series with elbow injury

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Updated: May 17, 2021
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England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the two Tests against New Zealand next month after a recurrence of his elbow problem.

Archer was unable to bowl on Saturday during Sussex’s County Championship match with Kent, and did not bowl in the game’s final day on Sunday either.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said the 26-year-old “was suffering from pain in his right elbow”.

The first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s starts on 2 June.

“The England and Sussex medical teams will now seek guidance, and Archer will see a medical consultant later this week to determine the next course of action on the management of his elbow,” added the ECB.

Last month, Archer pulled out of the now postponed Indian Premier League to focus on his recovery.

Having taken two wickets in the first innings at Hove, Archer had bowled only five overs in Kent’s second innings.

But after rain delayed play until 17:00 BST, it appeared as though he was being gestured to return to the attack by Sussex captain Ben Brown.

Instead, George Garton ended up bowling the second over after the restart from the Sea End.

“There was some confusion over the state of Jofra’s elbow,” Sussex head coach Ian Salisbury told BBC Radio Sussex.

“Ben thought he was going to bowl and there was confusion over that, but obviously his elbow is sore so he couldn’t bowl.

“Any other info about his elbow, unfortunately that’s the England and Wales Cricket Board’s job to mention that.”

Archer cut his right hand cleaning his fish tank in January before England’s tour of India, where he played in two of the four Tests and all five Twenty20 internationals, before the hand required surgery in March.

He also had an injection in March to help deal with the longstanding elbow problem.

Speaking after Sussex’s draw with Kent on Sunday, Brown said: “It was a communication thing with Jofra on Saturday evening. There is no issue.

“The issue here is a sad one for Jofra. He’s a champion cricketer, so talented and so gifted, but at the moment he cannot do what he wants to do – he cannot do his skill.

“I really feel for him. He’s in a difficult situation, with that skill of bowling really fast being taken away from him, if you like. This week has been very challenging for him. He was hopeful about how it would go, but he’s felt pretty sore in this game.

“We all want him to be fully fit and firing for England and for the Ashes and things like that.

“We tried to do what was right for Jofra’s career, and he needed to play in this match to prove his fitness, but it just hasn’t worked out this week.”