Jofra Archer was a special guest at England training on Friday, linking up with the team ahead of their ODI series decider against the West Indies in Barbados.
There is no timescale on the fast bowler’s return from the latest injury setback that scotched faint hopes of a World Cup berth, but he has been rehabilitating on the island where he was born and raised.
Archer shook hands with head coach Matthew Mott and director of men’s cricket Rob Key, who has joined England in Barbados, after arriving at the Kensington Oval before some gentle drills in the nets.
He started bowling gently on the outfield before increasing his intensity as the session progressed, although England have made plain they would not be taking any risks with the player.
The 28-year-old has not played competitively since May, ruled out of the Ashes by a recurrence of a stress fracture in a right elbow that has caused persistent problems since his breakout year in 2019.
He reported soreness in the joint during a brief stint in Mumbai after being named by England selector Luke Wright as their only “travelling reserve” for the World Cup, returning home shortly afterwards.
The premium England place on Archer was underlined when he received a two-year central contract in October, despite being unavailable for the past three World Cups and two Ashes series.
Key, who also joined England in Barbados, stated last month Archer would need building up again, adding: “Elbows, from what everyone says, are a tricky part of the body that you don’t want to get wrong.”
Archer will remain in Barbados once England head for Grenada next week but his presence was a welcome boost as they look to build on the momentum gained from levelling the ODI series in Antigua.
In two matches so far, Phil Salt and Will Jacks have got England off to excellent starts with half-century opening partnerships, both off 5.4 overs, taking the attack to the Windies bowlers.
The pair have followed the blueprint first adopted by Jason Roy and Alex Hales then Jonny Bairstow – although Salt, by his own estimation, is yet to cash in after getting out for 45 and 21.
“I enjoy batting with Will,” Salt said. “It’s not just about getting off to a flyer by hitting a boundary but rotating strike. He’s probably the best partner I’ve batted with in white-ball cricket.
“When myself and Will were coming through, we understood that this is the way that you have to play if you want to play for England. More than anything it’s second nature. The clues of success are in there.
“I feel like we’re yet to go on with it and really bang them to rights outside of the powerplay. When that happens, it will be entertaining to watch.”
Salt did not receive an England central contract but “didn’t expect the call”. Asked if he had any communication from Key, Salt added: “I’ve got a couple of ‘well batted’ texts, that’s about it.”
Salt has extra motivation for wanting to end the series with a flourish, having spent six years of his childhood in Barbados.
He was nine when his property-developer father uprooted the family from Bodelwyddan in north Wales to the Caribbean island, where the now 27-year-old’s attention shifted from football to cricket.
“I love it,” Salt added. “It’s a very special place for me. I love being here and playing here. Hopefully I can put on a bit of a show.”
England could make bowling changes for their third ODI in seven days but the temptation might be to stick with the same team that recorded a six-wicket win at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday.
Knight Riders dispatch Super Giants to move top of IPL
Kolkata Knight Riders moved to the top of the Indian Premier League courtesy of a 98-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.
Sunil Narine hit a sensational 81 from 39 balls, and he was ably supported by Ramandeep Singh's 25 from six deliveries, as KKR reeled off a third straight win on Sunday.
Ramandeep enjoyed a great day in the field too, as he took one of the catches of the season as LSG managed just 137 in response to KKR's 235.
Phil Salt struck 32, but it was fellow opener Narine who did the damage for KKR.
Ravi Bishnoi eventually ended his stand, but only when KKR had reached 140. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (32) had to be substituted out, but Shreyas Iyer added a useful 23 before Ramandeep hammered 25 from just an overs' worth of deliveries.
KL Rahul (25) and Marcus Stoinis (36) tried to get Lucknow going either side of Ramandeep's spectacular catch to dismiss Arshin Kulkarni, but the Super Giants never set the pace to truly trouble Kolkata.
Sunil Narine's plunders 81 to propel Kolkata Knight Riders to emphatic victory over Pooran's Lucknow Super Giants
In a sensational display of power hitting, Sunil Narine spearheaded Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a commanding victory over Nicholas Pooran's Lucknow Super Giants and a place atop of the IPL table with a stunning knock of 81 runs off just 39 deliveries.
Alongside Narine, contributions from Ramandeep Singh (25 off 6 balls), Phil Salt (32), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (32), and Shreyas Iyer ensured that KKR posted an imposing total of 235 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The match, held at one of the lower-scoring venues in IPL 2024, set the stage for a challenging run chase for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Despite a 50-run partnership between KL Rahul and Marcus Stoinis, LSG struggled to accelerate the scoring rate, ultimately succumbing to the pressure imposed by KKR's bowlers.
Andre Russell emerged as a pivotal figure in the match, not only with his powerful batting but also with his crucial contributions with the ball. Russell's bowling spell saw him claim the crucial wickets of Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran, swinging the match heavily in KKR's favor.
As LSG's innings faltered, the required run rate soared out of control, with the last nine wickets falling for just 67 runs. Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana were instrumental in dismantling LSG's batting lineup, each claiming three wickets.
Narine's explosive batting display in the initial overs set the tone for KKR's commanding total. After Salt's aggressive start, Narine took centre stage, unleashing a barrage of boundaries and sixes. His innings featured a total of seven sixes and six fours, demonstrating his ability to accelerate the scoring rate at will.
Despite eventually being dismissed while attempting another big hit, Narine's contribution laid the foundation for KKR's comprehensive victory. The match also witnessed standout performances from Ramandeep Singh, whose quick-fire innings added crucial runs to KKR's total, putting LSG under immense pressure.
With this convincing win, Kolkata Knight Riders continue to demonstrate their formidable form in IPL 2024, buoyed by standout performances from key players like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, signaling their intent as serious contenders in the tournament.
IPL: Jadeja stars as CSK move into playoff places
Chennai Super Kings moved into the Indian Premier League playoff places after beating Punjab Kings by 28 runs in Dharamshala.
The reigning champions avenged their seven-wicket defeat by the Kings in Chennai four days earlier to climb to third place in the table with three games remaining.
After a slow start, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell's partnership brought 57 runs and settled CSK into their stride. Although MS Dhoni went for a duck, Ravindra Jadeja's late surge of 43 from 26 balls saw them close at 167-9.
Tushar Deshpande claimed Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Rossouw in the second over to stem the Kings' early momentum, while Jadeja (3-20) also took a quickfire double of Sam Curran and Ashutosh Sharma in the 13th over as the hosts finished well short of their target at 139-9.
Data debrief
In getting back to winning ways, CSK ended their five-game losing streak against the Kings, stretching back to 2021.
Despite going for a duck, Dhoni managed to make amends in the field. When he caught out Jitesh Sharma, he became the first player in IPL history to take 150 catches.
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