England's Ashes hope is back, and takes a wicket
He's back, again, and this time England fans hope it's for good, or at least until the end of the 2025-26 Ashes.
Jofra Archer, England's injury-ravaged fast-bowling star, has taken his first red-ball wicket in four years and already English thoughts are turning to Down Under.
Now 30 Archer is playing his first red-ball match since May 2021, featuring for Sussex in their County Championship Division One match at Chester-le-Street.
After making 31 with the bat on Sunday, he got hold of the ball - a Kookaburra, which is being used in these fixtures - for the first time on Monday and took a wicket during his second spell, trapping left-hander Emilio Gay leg before.
Archer - whose Test career has been derailed by a string of injuries - finished with one for 28 from his 14-over spell, which included six maidens.
"Now I know my body can hold up to it, the mental part of the game (is a greater issue)," Archer told BBC Radio Sussex.
"Over the next couple of days I'm going to have a battle with it. It's all good. I'll keep trucking along.
"When the scoreboard got to 50 overs I was like, 'It's time to come off now', but we got to the end of day and it wasn't that bad."
There is plenty of bowling to come for Archer if he wants with Durham 5-249 in reply to Sussex's 361.
Archer has played 13 Tests for England, but none since February 2021.
Asked if he felt ready to return to Test cricket, Archer replied: "I guess so.
"I just want to get through the game. I'm glad I've finished a day of four-day cricket."
It was also a red-letter day for West Australian Liam Guthrie who added another wicket to his overnight half-dozen to finish with a career-best haul for Northamptonshire against Middlesex.
Guthrie, who has a UK passport and so isn't considered an overseas player for Darren Lehmann's Northants, topped his previous best when he had centurion Joe Cracknell brilliantly caught one-handed by Calvin Harrison at point.
That gave Guthrie 7-94 passing his 6-60 for Queensland against Victoria.
At the close on the second day of four Northants were 5-308 in reply to Middlesex's 413.
Elsewhere Caleb Jewell made 32 as Derbyshire replied to Gloucestershire's 187, in which Cameron Bancroft made 58, with 398. Batting again at Bristol Glos were 1-62 with captain Bancroft 32 not out, still 149 runs behind.
with PA
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