Latest news with #Jof
Telegraph
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Jofra Archer smashed for most expensive figures in IPL history
Jofra Archer's conceded the worst figures in the history of the IPL when he was smashed for 76 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Archer, who plays for Rajathan Royals, was brought on to bowl amid an onslaught by Travis Head (67 from 31 balls) and Ishan Kishan (106 not out from 47 balls). The Englishman's first two balls were struck for four and six and he went on to concede ten fours and four sixes in a torrid four overs. His economy rate was 19 an over and he bowled just one dot ball. He also conceded five from a no ball called on height that went for four byes. Hyderabad smoked their way to 286 for six in their 20 overs, falling one run short of the IPL record they set last year. Archer was a late addition to this year's IPL auction after some wrangling with the ECB about his central contract with England. He was picked up by Rajasthan, for whom he has played previously, for a fee of £1.12 million. The previous most expensive figures belonged to Mohit Sharma, another seamer, who was struck for 73 runs without taking a wicket for Gujarat Titans against Delhi Capitals last year. 🚨 HISTORY IN HYDERABAD 🚨 - Jofra Archer bowled the most expensive spell in IPL history - 0/76 🤯 #SRHvRR — Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) March 23, 2025 England hope that Jofra Archer will be available to play Test cricket this summer, against India, and then also play a part in the Ashes next winter. His most recent Test was in February 2021. Speaking earlier this year, Brendon McCullum, the England head coach, said: 'I would imagine Jof would be keen to play Test cricket this summer, yeah. 'We know how great Jofra is at the very top of his game and to have him back, fit and excited about playing is a real win for English cricket. We've got to make sure we're always doing the right thing by Jof and understanding the risks involved, but I'm pretty sure he's keen to play Test cricket. 'If you can add him to the battery of fast bowlers you're trying to build then it only strengthens the squad. Overall, I'm really pleased to see where Jof's at and it's great to see him back playing and injury-free at the moment.'
The Guardian
18-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Did you catch that? On the boats with Cornish fishers
For a year and a half, photographer Jon Tonks journeyed around the coast of Cornwall, from Newlyn to the Isles of Scilly, Mousehole and Cadgwith, spending time both quayside and at sea. A Fish Called Julie: In waters off Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by Jon Tonks is at the Martin Parr Foundation, Bristol, 3 April to 22 June. The exhibition is part of the nationwide initiative We Feed the UK created by the Gaia Foundation. An exhibition of the We Feed the UK project is at The Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, 3 April to 22 June Jon Tonks: 'I was fishing with a guy called Jacob on the Isles of Scilly where he grew up. He's 23 years old and has his own fishing boat. He was pulling in his pots to check for lobsters, and would throw back anything undersized or spawning. This one was undersized, so I asked if I could try and capture the return. I primed myself with the camera and flash in my hand, counted to three, and we went for it. I didn't see the gulls top and bottom watching the whole procedure until I developed the film' 'This image was made when I was out with Will, who was line fishing for mackerel. He is 21 years old and lives in Newlyn. He's taken me out to sea a few times over the course of this project, and this was during the second outing. The first time was unsuccessful by comparison, but here he pulled in around 70kg of mackerel by hand. As the boat filled up, I started to run out of places to stand that weren't covered in blood or mackerel. My boots glimmered for days from fish scales' 'I named the project A Fish Called Julie after I came across two sea bass in a container. I was making pictures at the fish market in Newlyn where fish are offloaded, iced and sold. Whether the fish were destined for Julie, who would cook them that night somewhere, or if they'd been landed by a boat of the same name, I was unsure. But to me it looked like a name tag you'd get at a networking event. It made me smile. And for those who might miss the reference, it also made me think of the 1988 British movie A Fish Called Wanda' The work of fishing communities is dictated by the elements and the seasons. Knowledge and respect for both are passed down the generations. This project is a continuation of Tonks' previous work telling the stories of people whose lives are shaped by geography and history. He was drawn to small towns and islands because by focusing on a microcosm, he could tell a wider tale 'Jof and his son Inigo live on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly. I visited Jof for the first time in January 2024, after a short flight from Land's End and a quick boat trip. He is well known for making traditional withy pots entirely plastic free, using locally grown willow. His workshop was amazing – his industrial design background was immediately apparent. You could see the whole production process: pots that had spent a year out at sea, and some that were brand-new, the warm orange willow fading to a ghostly white' 'This image was made off St Agnes, in Isles of Scilly. After visiting Jof in January 2024, I returned in May to fish with him. His self-engineered catamaran allows him to row in shallow waters. His methods are plastic-free and motorless – I followed him in a kayak. The silence of being at sea without the chug of an engine was amazing. Using my Hasselblad on a kayak was less relaxing, but allowed me to get close to the water. My most lasting memory was of the silence being broken by an inquisitive seal breathing behind me' 'Being a small-scale fisher in Cornwall is a metaphor for how to live your life. When the weather tells you not to fish, listen. Allow the seas to replenish. Sustainable fishing means something different to everyone, but real sustainability teaches us not to be greedy, to give nature a chance and leave enough for the next generation' 'David had spent the day fishing for cuttlefish and I bumped into him at the harbour as he unloaded his catch to the market. The ink across his face was from the fish, released as a defence mechanism when they are caught – apparently it's hard to wash off.' You can read more about this series in this Observer piece At a time when there is an increasing disconnect between the food we eat and its origins, Tonks's photographs show the communities that have fished off the coasts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for generations, sharing their stories, traditions and challenges He captures the wind, rain and unrelenting swells; the nimbleness of the fishers navigating chaotic tumbles of nets and ropes on ever moving fishing vessels; yellow trousers punctuating the ocean grey Tonks heard the stories of fishers of 50 years, who have witnessed the cod moving north because of rising sea temperatures. He heard of pilchards thrown to the birds in thanks for guiding boats to the shoals as effectively as sonar; puffins starving for lack of the sand eels that have been overfished and fed to chickens. Giant commercial vessels are devastating populations and habitats through overfishing and bottom trawling, legitimised by laws that prioritise profit rather than sustainability Cornwall is a place of folklore and traditions. Tonks says: 'This is David, sat with a pint and a mince pie at the Ship Inn in Mousehole. It is December 2023 on Tom Bawcock's Eve, a celebration and memorial for a legendary villager who went to sea during severe storms, catching fish for the villagers during a period of famine' 'A huge stargazy pie is made at the pub each year, with fish heads poking out the top of the pastry. David worked much of his life for Trinity House, maintaining lighthouses around the country. He is sat next to a small plaque above an armchair commemorating his late brother'
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Jofra Archer may yet help England's pace ploy in India and Australia Tests
England arrived in Pakistan thinking pace was the play, but they left with masala omelette on their faces. Attacks with more variety and left‑arm angles have largely prospered in this Champions Trophy, while Jos Buttler's team – the worst of the eight on show with nil points – found their exclusively right‑arm attack struggled for a collective impact. Contrary to the image of the management team, this was underpinned by more than just vibes and buzzwords. During the 2023 World Cup in India, the research told them, the teams which sent down the highest percentage of deliveries faster than 84mph were the most successful, with India (68%) and Australia (61%) the two finalists. England were seventh here – just 33% balls north of the mark – and duly finished seventh overall. However, in an era where batters are drilled to cope with extreme pace by slingers letting rip in the nets, the data also warned them all this means little without accuracy and movement (seam has the edge over swing here). England's quicks were the fastest on show in the group stage but ended it with the worst economy rate – 7.2 runs per over – and the second-worst average, 59.11, after the similarly winless Pakistan. Not only that, but two of England's pacers limped out of the tournament with Brydon Carse afflicted by a toe infection and Mark Wood, more worryingly, to see a specialist this week after experiencing 'locking' in his left knee during the defeat against Afghanistan. Given the focus now switches to Test cricket, a year of marquee series against India and Australia, it was a reminder of why Ben Stokes wants at least eight pace options. Will Jofra Archer, previous Test cap in 2021, be among them? Though still short of his best, and having lost some of his movement away from the right-handers, the 29-year-old emerging physically unscathed was a glimmer of optimism amid the rubble. Archer also took all six of his Champions Trophy wickets with the hard new ball, making his switch to the more helpful red Dukes and Kookaburra an encouraging prospect. 'We have seen moments of how great Jof is,' the England head coach, Brendon McCullum, said. 'He has been out of competitive cricket for a couple of years, it's taken a little bit of time to get that rhythm of game play back. But he's bowled high pace and been able to get a significant workload under his belt throughout this tournament. 'We know how great Jofra is at the very top of his game and to have him back, fit and excited about playing is a real win for English cricket. We've got to make sure we're always doing the right thing by Jof and understanding the risks involved. If you can add him to the battery of fast bowlers you're trying to build, it only strengthens the squad. 'I will sit down with some of the players after this and work out what their ambitions are. I would imagine Jofra would be keen to play Test cricket this summer.' Although this is where things have been disrupted. The original plan was for Archer to play for Sussex in the County Championship in April and May – the latest staging post in a detailed programme designed to build him back up for the rigours of Test cricket. As Archer put it last year, this programme only just stopped short of telling him when he could take a shower. Rob Key, the team director, is quoted as saying that Archer was also comfortable sitting out the Indian Premier League this year to make it happen. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Things changed when the Board of Control for Cricket in India decreed that anyone sitting out the auction last December would be ineligible for the 2026 IPL also. Given Archer was back playing Twenty20 games for England by this stage, Key could not get an exemption to this on injury grounds. So he went into the auction and was duly signed for £1.18m by Rajasthan Royals. Get through that tournament, which runs from 22 March to 25 May, and the next block of four-day games for Sussex – away against Durham and at home against Warwickshire – starts on 22 June, midway through the first Test against India. After that torturous run of stress fractures to his right elbow and lower back, it remains a delicate balancing act. The upside is clear, with Archer's maiden Test summer six years ago – a spine-tingling Ashes series of 22 wickets at 20 – the reason why England continue to invest heavily. The pace ploy may have failed in Pakistan but, provided Archer's body stays strong and the graded programme works, there may yet be a payout.
The Independent
02-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Brendon McCullum hoping to unleash Jofra Archer in India Tests
Brendon McCullum is optimistic he will be able to unleash Jofra Archer on Test cricket this summer all while 'understanding the risks involved' for England 's injury-plagued fast bowler. It is just over four years since Archer last featured in the longest format, with a chronic elbow and back injuries the reasons for his career being stop-start since bursting on to the scene in 2019. His latest comeback has been carefully managed and restricted to T20s initially and then ODIs, with a broader view for him to face India at home and Australia away in marquee Test series in the next year. An Indian Premier League stint beckons after England's early exit at the Champions Trophy but McCullum is hopeful Archer will be back in whites and ready for a five-match marquee series against India. 'We know how great Jofra is at the very top of his game and to have him back, fit and excited about playing is a real win for English cricket,' England head coach McCullum said. 'We've got to make sure we're always doing the right thing by Jof and understanding the risks involved but I'm pretty sure he's pretty keen to play Test cricket. 'If you can add him to the battery of fast bowlers you're trying to build then it only strengthens the squad. 'I'll sit down with some of the players after this and work out what their ambitions are. I would imagine Jof would be keen to play Test cricket this summer.' Archer took two for 55 in England's seven-wicket thrashing by South Africa in Karachi on Saturday as Jos Buttler 's white-ball captaincy ended in sorry fashion with a seventh consecutive ODI defeat. All of his six wickets – Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone were the next best on the list for England with three – arrived in the first 10-over powerplay to demonstrate his potency with the new ball. He was not as effective in his second and third spells but coming through the winter unscathed and playing in nine of 11 matches, missing the other two with a cut on his hand, is a massive plus. 'Jofra's been out of competitive cricket for a couple of years, it's taken a little bit of time to get that rhythm of game play back but I think he's been really good,' McCullum added. 'He's bowled high-pace, he's played a lot of cricket, he's been able to get a significant workload under his belt throughout this tournament. We've seen moments of how great Jof is. 'Overall, I'm really pleased to see where Jof's at and it's great to see him back playing and injury-free at the moment.'
Telegraph
02-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Jofra Archer in line for Test cricket this summer
Brendon McCullum has backed Jofra Archer to play for England during their Test summer after the fast bowler's encouraging displays in the Champions Trophy. Archer took six wickets across England's three matches during the campaign. Against South Africa he bowled seven consecutive overs, in an indication that his body is becoming more robust. England 's next Test match is the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge on May 22. The five-match series against India then begins on June 20 – England's last Test engagement before the Ashes Down Under in November. The most recent of Archer's 11 Test matches was in Ahmedabad in February 2021. But England remain hopeful that he could play a role against India and Australia, with his pace and skill regarded as an invaluable to the attack. Archer starred during his maiden Test series, taking 22 wickets at an average of 20.3 in the 2019 Ashes, but has been marred by injuries ever since. 'I think he's been really good,' said McCullum. 'Jofra's been out of competitive cricket for a couple of years, it's taken a little bit of time to get that rhythm of game play back. 'He's bowled high-pace, he's played a lot of cricket, he's been able to get a significant workload under his belt throughout this tournament. We've seen moments of how great Jof is.' McCullum said that Archer is on course to make his eagerly awaited Test comeback this year. 'I'll sit down with some of the players after this and work out what their ambitions are,' the head coach said. 'I would imagine Jof would be keen to play Test cricket this summer, yeah. 'We know how great Jofra is at the very top of his game and to have him back, fit and excited about playing is a real win for English cricket. We've got to make sure we're always doing the right thing by Jof and understanding the risks involved, but I'm pretty sure he's pretty keen to play Test cricket. 'If you can add him to the battery of fast bowlers you're trying to build then it only strengthens the squad. Overall, I'm really pleased to see where Jof's at and it's great to see him back playing and injury-free at the moment.' Archer's importance to England's pace attack has increased because of new injury concerns for other quicks. Brydon Carse left Pakistan earlier with a toe injury sustained during the loss to Australia. Mark Wood, England's fastest bowler, fell on his left knee – where he has suffered injuries before – during the defeat by Afghanistan. It is feared that he has suffered ligament damage, though the extent of the injury remains unclear. Wood will have a scan when he returns home to the UK. There are fears that he might need an operation, which could rule the 35-year-old out for several months.
