England fast bowler Jofra Archer will miss the rest of the season after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back.
Paceman Archer has not played for England since March 2021, in a T20I against India in Ahmedabad.
The 27-year-old has only featured four times since for his county Sussex, last playing in July last year.
He underwent surgery in May on a long-standing elbow problem, and needed a second operation to try and fix the issue in December, having missed the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.
That was expected to keep him out until June, though Archer had hoped to return to action for Sussex in the T20 Blast later this month. However, he failed to feature in second-team warm-up matches and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has now confirmed the seamer is facing another long spell on the sidelines.
"After being diagnosed with a stress fracture to the lower back, England and Sussex seamer Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the rest of the season," a statement from the ECB read.
"No timeframe has been set for his return. A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days."
News of Archer's injury is a fresh blow for England, who are without a host of fast bowlers for the first Test against New Zealand in June.
Ben Stokes, who has replaced Joe Root as captain, is unable to call on Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Sam Curran, Mark Wood, Olly Stone, Matthew Fisher or Saqib Mahmood, who like Archer has a stress fracture in his lower back and will not play again this season.
Jamaica Scorpions facing possible defeat after following on against T&T Red Force at Torouba
Jamaica Scorpions are in danger of losing another match this season after play on the second day of their fifth-round match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at Torouba on Thursday.
At stumps, Jamaica following on after being bowled out for 125 in response to Trinidad’s 302, were 199-5, a lead of 22 with only five second-innings wickets in hand.
Jamaica has been poor this season and Thursday was no different. Resuming on 5-1, the Scorpions were skittled out for 125. They would not have made as much had it not been for their bowlers Derval Green (39) and Jeavor Royal (27) who shared in an eight-wicket stand of 62 that took the side from an embarrassing 50-7.
Tion Webster was the main destroyer taking 5-30 with Terrance Hinds backing him up with 3-40.
Following on 177 behind, Jamaica lost Tevin Gilzene for two but found some steel in the form of a second-wicket stand of 104 between opener Leroy Lugg and Jermaine Blackwood. Lugg eventually fell to the bowling of Anderson Phillip for 66.
Blackwood and Carlos Brown added 50 for the third wicket but then Brown was dismissed by Imran Khan for 16 to leave Jamaica on 162-3.
Blackwood fell to Bryan Charles for 68 as Jamaica slipped to 172-4. Brad Barnes went for 14 leaving Jamaica in further trouble at 191-5, a lead of only 14.
Abhijai Mansingh will resume on 10 and Aldane Thomas seven when play begins on Friday.
Phillip has so far taken 2-21 and Charles 2-68 for Trinidad and Tobago who will be looking to wrap up victory on the third day of play.
Tournament leaders Harpy Eagles hold 77-run advantage over Hurricanes after day two at Providence
Tournament leaders Guyana Harpy Eagles ended day two of their final round game against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes with a 77-run second innings lead at Providence.
The Leewards made 247 all out off 92.1 overs after starting the day 133-5.
Captain Jahmar Hamilton finished not out on 58 while Kofi James contributed 42 and Rakheem Cornwall 24 against 4-33 from 12.1 overs from pacer Nial Smith and 3-51 off 31 overs from Veerasammy Permaul.
The Harpy Eagles ended the day 48-1 in their second innings, leading by 77 runs with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 20 and Kevlon Anderson on 19.
Jeremiah Louis took the only wicket to fall so far, removing Matthew Nandu for three.
Moseley scores 112, Edward grabs 6-43 as Volcanoes hold narrow 24-run lead over Pride at Queen’s Park Oval
Shayne Moseley scored a hundred and Larry Edward took a six-wicket haul as the Windward Islands Volcanoes closed day two of their final round fixture with the Barbados Pride with a narrow 24-run second innings lead at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.
The Pride were bowled out for 227 off 90.4 overs in response to the Windwards’ 237 all out on day one.
Moseley scored 112 off 184 balls, his fifth first-class hundred, including 17 fours and one six.
Larry Edward took 6-43 off 29.4 overs for the Volcanoes.
The Windwards had a disastrous end to the day, losing four wickets in only eight overs.
Kimani Melius (7), Johann Jeremiah (0), Sherman Lewis (2) and Alick Athanaze (0) all fell as the Volcanoes ended day two 14-4 after eight overs with Kavem Hodge and Sunil Ambris at the crease on four and zero, respectively.
Jomel Warrican has, so far, taken two wickets from two overs without conceding a run.
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