25 January 2023 , 19:19
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Jofra Archer has outlined his ambitions for the World Cup ahead of his England comeback.
The seam bowler has not played for the national side since March 2021 having battled an elbow injury and then suffering a stress fracture of his lower back, which ruled him out over last summer. It has been a nightmare run of injuries for the 2019 World Cup winner, but his long-awaited comeback is set to take place during the upcoming ODI series with South Africa.
Having experienced the agony of missing the last two T20 World Cups, Archer is thrilled to be back in contention to help England defend the 50-over world title later this year. “I can’t imagine sitting down and watching another World Cup on TV. I’ve watched two in two years and I don’t want it to be three," the 27-year-old the the ECB official website.
“So hopefully I can still be fit and firing when that comes. I just want to be part of that and help the boys defend our title.” Archer ramped up his recovery by playing five T20 matches for MI Cape Town in the SA20 this month, taking eight wickets at 18.00 with a strike rate of 7.57. He is expected to play no more than two of the three ODIs against South Africa, which will be contested in the space of six days. The Barbadian aims to pick up where he left off after nearly two years away from the international game.
This year's itinerary offers him the chance to replicate his remarkable impact in his debut summer as an England player and remind everyone why he is so integral to any team he represents. "Hopefully it can be a repeat of 2019," Archer told reporters in Bloemfontein ahead of the opening game of the series. "We've got again a 50-over World Cup and an Ashes in the same year so more of the same, please.
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"There's no reason to look back. I've done my time and I'm here now. That's the most important thing. I'd probably say I'm about 80 percent. Just some fine-tuning now. I know whenever I'm fully fit, I don't think there's much that can stop me, it's just a matter of when that was going to be. Playing cricket again for the first time a few weeks ago, [I'm] still riding off that wave of emotions right now.
"Hopefully in two days it can go up another level. It's just been good to play cricket and actually not have to worry about if my body's going to give way. I think that was the most important tick for me so far." Matthew Mott, England's white-ball coach, was also relishing the thought of being able to call upon Archer's talent for the first time since taking up the post last May.
Jofra Archer's long wait to return to international cricket is almost over (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)"Having watched him from a distance, I think he's one of the most exciting things to have happened in cricket for the last decade," Mott said.
"He's full throttle, fast and brings such energy. He is one of those guys that if you are there sitting in the pub and he's bowling, you're watching. That's a big thing to have.
"Everyone here will get a lift with him around. Bowlers like him and Mark Wood, those with extreme pace, give everyone that little bit extra confidence and fun around playing the game. He's spent a lot of time out and I know he's absolutely frothing to play. It will be great to have him."