The Ashes: Brilliant Archer claims SIX wickets as England take control on day one at Headingley
NO prizes for guessing who was England’s six-wicket star turn but this was a different sort of Jofra Archer.
Gone was the terror-inducing, head-seeking speedster we saw at Lord’s. Instead, Archer proved he is also a highly skilled operator who can dispatch batsmen with seam and swing.
Sure, he was still quick at Headingley today but his fastest delivery was 89.5mph as opposed to the 96.1mph thunderbolt he sent down last Saturday.
So there was no need for a supply of spare helmets in Australia’s dressing-room or the medics at Leeds General Infirmary to be on high alert.
Archer finished with the brilliant figures of 6-45 on day one of the Third Test as the Aussies were bowled out for 179 after Joe Root won the toss.
He left the field to a standing ovation holding the ball high above his head.
It is a day Archer will never forget. But he has already collected a whole scrapbook of those in an England career that has been going for less than four months.
Archer has become England’s go-to bowler in just his second Test match. His impact has been astonishing and he is loving every minute of it.
He laughed, he smiled and, for a time, he even fielded with his sweater tied around his waist as though he was off to the pub. It’s the sort of thing you might see on the village green.
The more we watch Jofra, the more his personality is emerging. And we like what we see - he is a fun guy with a fierce competitive edge and a hunger for knowledge.
He understood today that short balls and out-and-out pace were not the most potent weapons. So he pitched up the ball and exploited the helpful, overcast conditions.
His bouncer was used as an occasional shock ploy rather than as a non-stop barrage like in the previous match.
This lad is no one-trick pony.
JOF THE BOSS
Archer’s story is little short of a sporting fairytale. The rules were changed to fast-track him into the England team and he delivered the triumphant super over in the World Cup final. Then, on his Test debut, he concussed the world’s best batsman.
He seems to possess the full package - speed, skill, movement, accuracy and a love of the big occasion. Goodness knows what he can achieve in the next few years.
The start was delayed because of rain and there were three further interruptions.
In the opening overs, Stuart Broad went past Warner’s outside edge virtually every delivery. Broad has been outstanding in this series and he was hooping his away-swingers. Warner could scarcely lay bat on ball.
Marcus Harris had come in for Cameron Bancroft at the top of Australia’s order but soon nicked off to Archer. Then Usman Khawaja was caught down legside off Broad. It was given out only after England reviewed.
Warner somehow managed to stay in and reach double figures for the first time in the series at the fifth attempt. He was dogged and determined, gradually discovering some fluency.
He was helped by two lots of overthrows which brought him five runs each time. For a time, while Warner and Marnus Labuschagne were putting on 111 for the third wicket, England’s fielding became ragged and their body language impatient.
On one occasion, bowler Chris Woakes gave Archer a stare and the hurry-up when he jogged to field the ball at fine leg and allowed an extra run. The breaks for rain appeared to be harming England more than Australia.
The opening spells by Woakes and Ben Stokes both went for six-an-over and Root was forced to bring back Archer and Broad.
But Archer was soon harvesting more wickets.
On 61, Warner was given out caught behind but the decision was overturned. However, he had not scored another run when he edged Archer and Jonny Bairstow did the rest.
Broad bowled Travis Head with a ripper and Matthew Wade was bowled via the thigh pad and glove. The ball trickled back on to the stumps with just enough force to remove the leg bail.
So Archer can be lucky as well as good.
Tim Paine was leg before to Woakes and then Archer collected more victims. James Pattinson was held at slip and Pat Cummins caught behind, although he was convinced he didn’t touch the ball.
The admirable Labuschagne missed a full toss and was lbw for 74 and Archer, with his first ball from the Kirkstall Lane End, nailed Nathan Lyon in front and took his tally to six.
Archer said: “Firstly, it means I get to rest. We've been in the field all day, it was stop start all day, which is really annoying.
“You start to bowl well and then you have to go off and start again. I'm over the moon to get six wickets but equally happy just to get off.
"The ball just started swinging randomly from the over before the Warner wicket. It got a bit more overcast and then from then on the ball was really good.
"We thought it was going to be a repeat of Lord's and losing the first day. But we got a large portion of the bad weather out of the way today.
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"There were a few threes and no sweepers, I'll more than take 6-45 but I can be tidier in the future.
"It's been really good so far, from the moment I've put the badge on, it's been the happiest days of cricket so far and hopefully plenty more ahead.
"They've got some good bowlers as well so we've got to bat really well tomorrow."
