The Ashes without Jofra Archer will burn a little less brightly for Australians too | Geoff Lemon

The bowler’s pace and style will be sorely missed, as will the highly anticipated rematch with Steve Smith and company

If you started following cricket recently, you might wonder why the fuss about Jofra Archer missing this year’s Ashes. A player with 13 Tests for England, the last well over two years ago, and 42 wickets averaging 31. Those who watched four years ago will know why Archer is imprinted on an Australian cricket consciousness as firmly as on England’s. His earlier work in Australia’s domestic T20 league had already introduced an incredible athlete in the field and a force with the ball. Then he showed up in the second Ashes match of 2019 in place of the injured Jimmy Anderson.

Weeks earlier he had won England a first men’s World Cup, a nerveless yorker from the last ball of a deciding Super Over keeping Martin Guptill to one run when New Zealand needed two. It deservedly sits atop Archer’s highlight reel. But in the age of T20 proliferation, finding a bowler who can deliver one ball under pressure to end a game is possible. Far more rare is one who can do what he did on Test debut at Lord’s.

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