England's cricket management was surprised when they learned that the injured fast bowler Jofra Archer had unanticipatedly participated in a match for his former school team in Barbados.
The Barbados-born cricketer, currently in the Caribbean island for recovery from an elbow injury, is believed to have quietly rejoined his UK team on the evening of December 10.
Notably, just a few hours before his departure, he had competed for Foundation against Lords in the first division of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) league.
As per the official Barbados Cricket website, the fast bowler emerged as the standout performer in the game. Lords team was dismissed for 114 runs at Church Hill, and Archer, showcasing a remarkable performance, secured 4-18 for Foundation. He demonstrated his bowling prowess by combining pace and left-arm spin.
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Archer's choice to play for his former school was even more surprising, especially considering his recent involvement in a series of bowling drills as part of his recovery program from a recurring right elbow injury. The unexpected participation in a high-intensity local match caught the England team management off guard.
The director of men's cricket in England Rob Key expressed his surprise upon discovering Archer's involvement in the second tier of Barbados' cricket structure. The lack of prior communication from Archer regarding his decision to play for the Foundation highlighted concerns about player management.
When questioned about Archer's involvement in the match, Key said, "I'm not aware of that, I'll find out."
He added that the management is proceeding cautiously with Archer's injury recovery and is focused on prolonging his career.
"We're just going to take it slow with him, we don't want to put any sort of deadlines on him. That's what we've done in the past, and we're trying to learn from that. If it takes an extra couple of months, but he gets another couple of years out of his career and gets back fully. He's worth his weight in gold," Key added.
Archer was let go by Mumbai Indians before the retention deadline and chose not to enter the auction for IPL 2024.
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