England pace bowler Jofra Archer warned the Australian batsmen yesterday that he is not just a one-day cricketer and said he will try to “work miracles” if he faces them at Lord’s in the Ashes this week.
The 24-year-old Barbados-born seamer, who starred for his adopted country in their World Cup triumph, missed the first Test defeat at Edgbaston because of a side strain. But, with James Anderson ruled out with a calf injury, Archer is now in line to to play in the second Test which starts at Lord’s tomorrow. Archer proved his fitness playing for Sussex in a 2nd XI match against Glucestershire during which he took 6-27 in the first innings and then scored 108. He said the Australians would be fooling themselves if they thought he would offer rich pickings on his Test debut.
“I’ve played a lot more red-ball cricket and it’s my preferred format,” Archer said at a press conference yesterday. “If you don’t have a good 10 overs (in white-ball cricket) that’s it. You’ve got to wait to the next game, but you’ve ample chances in Test cricket. I’m more ready than I’ve ever been. I bowled 50 overs in one game for Sussex and am the one usually bowling at the end. Test cricket is pretty much the same as first-class. Know what your strengths are and stick to them.”
“(My fitness) has never been better.(The side strain) just needed to settle and we couldn’t get that gap in the World Cup. After that, it settled in a matter of days. Don’t expect any miracles, I can only come in and do what I can and give my best. I can’t work miracles but I will try to.”
Archer, whose father Frank is British, became eligible to play for England under the three-year residency rule earlier this year. He said Lord’s brought back happy memories of England’s victory over New Zealand in a thrilling World Cup final in July during which Archer was entrusted with bowling the Super Over which clinched the trophy.
“The first one (appearance) is always special, and (to be) at Lord’s where we had recent success will be comforting as well,” said Archer. “It’s a good ground to come back to, and hopefully keep our winning ways here. I’ll try and work miracles but I can only give my best.”
And, while most of his professional cricket has come in the T20 version of the game, Archer has played as many first-class games as he has List A matches - 28 apiece. In first-class cricket, he has taken 131 wickets at an average of 23.44.
Australia coach Justin Langer said his batsmen would hopefully be able to weather the storm from his first spell and then score freely in his later sessions. “Hopefully our guys have got the answers whatever he (Archer) dishes up for us,” Langer said at his press conference.
“Most of our guys have seen him in white-ball cricket. It’s up to the individuals, not so much our game plan against him. Our batters will be organised in their minds how they are going to face him, and the rest of England’s attack. It’s the same for everyone in Test cricket, get them into their second, third and fourth spells.”
Langer pointed out it will also be asking a lot of someone new to Test cricket to dominate right away. “I’m really curious about how Archer is going to go. He’s played one red-ball game in 11 months. He’s a very skilled bowler and a great athlete. But Test cricket is very different to white-ball cricket,” Langer said. “Like we’ve talked about a long time, we’ve got to keep wearing him down, and get him back into his second or third and fourth spells. Just curious how he’s going to go, like you are with all fast bowlers.
“The strategy for England the way they play, is we have to be very disciplined. I think going back to 2004 in India, we hadn’t beaten for years, Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) was the captain, our strategy was so disciplined. You remember that series, and that was the difference in the end. Kasper (Michael Kasprowicz), (Jason) Gillespie and (Glenn) McGrath and they were so disciplined. 
“I just think we haven’t won here for 20 years, and that’s a good strategy you can learn from the past. That strategy is going to be important as well,” the former Australian opener said.