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Ben Stokes warns Australia to expect more hostility from Jofra Archer


Ben Stokes has warned there will be no let-up from Jofra Archer in the remainder of the Ashes series – much as with Australia’s Mitchell Johnson in 2013-14 – as the visitors prepare to make a call on whether Steve Smith can return this week.

Smith must pass further cognitive tests and face pace bowling in the nets if he is to play in Thursday’s third Test at Headingley. It follows the sickening blow to the neck from Archer that led to delayed concussion symptoms and resulted in him being subbed out of the fifth day at Lord’s.

Archer has now struck international batsmen on the head or body 19 times since his ODI debut in May – an average of one every nine overs – and presents a similar physical threat to when Johnson was tearing through England five years ago.

Stokes said: “It’s part of the game and a big part of Jofra’s game, being aggressive, not letting batsmen settle. That bouncer of his is a huge asset and he’s going to keep on doing it.

“When someone takes a nasty blow, no bowler is going to say ‘I’m not going to bowl that again because I don’t want to hit them again’. The concern is always there when someone takes it. But next ball, when you get back to the mark, it’s [a case of] ‘I’m going to keep doing it’.

“We’ve seen Mitchell Johnson do it to us, especially in 2013-14, but Jofra just makes it look so easy, like he’s walking in to bowl. And I’d rather have him on my team than have to face him. He’s a frightening talent.”


Ashes 2019: captains on Steve Smith and drawn second Test – video

Stokes is vice-captain in an unchanged England squad for Leeds that, despite the change in mood, are still 1-0 down. But along with Archer and Jos Buttler, he is also a teammate of Smith from their time together at Rajasthan Royals. After Smith was felled, the all-rounder messaged his friend to check on his wellbeing.

“We’ve got a good relationship from playing together and so does Jofra,” said Stokes. “I messaged him [that evening] and had a little giggle with him, which was good, saying: ‘Jofra’s a good shot to hit that pea-head.’ I think he was in as good fettle as he could have been.

“I was leg slip when it happened. It just hit flesh – not one of the nicest things to see on a cricket field. Someone going straight down like that was a pretty scary couple of minutes for everyone out there. It was great seeing him get back up.”

While Smith’s chances of an immediate return surely look remote, Archer must recover between these back-to-back Tests after a 44-over workload at Lord’s. England are already reliant on the 24-year-old seeing out the series, although Jimmy Anderson will step up his return from a calf injury when playing for Lancashire’s 2nd XI in Liverpool from Tuesday.

Ben Stokes batting for England against Australia in second Test at Lord's.



Ben Stokes hits out on his way to 115 not out on the final day of the second Test against Australia at Lord’s. Photograph: Graham Hunt/ProSports/Shutterstock

Tim Paine had said his Australia side must find a way to counter Archer’s short ball after Marnus Labuschagne, Smith’s concussion replacement, was also knocked down having being struck in the grille second ball. The batsman admitted afterwards that, despite the shock, “you get up and try to act cool”.

Stokes’s seventh Test century had set up a potential victory charge, only for Labuschagne to recover from the blow and help steer Australia to the draw by batting for more than two hours, and the England all-rounder thinks finding a way to combat Archer will be tricky.

He added: “Jofra doesn’t have any tells. Some bowlers you get a tell when they’re going to bowl a bouncer. Because everything is so rhythmical with Jofra, it is tough to see when it is coming. He’s very tight to the stumps as well. Everything looks just so languid, you wonder if he’s loose and then he fires one down. It was very impressive to watch.”

Beyond Archer’s stunning introduction and pride that his own unbeaten 115 showed doggedness, Stokes cited two further positives that England could take out of the Lord’s Test. Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow enjoyed time in the middle after failures at Edgbaston, while Nathan Lyon, a match-winner in that first Test, took none for 102 in England’s second innings.

Stokes said: “We kept out Nathan’s good balls and, when we attacked, we really committed to doing it. He could have had me five or six times, to be honest. I thought attack was the best form of defence by the end, because every time I defended one I kept nicking it but finding the gap, which was remarkable.

“I was running down the wicket and laughing at some points, thinking: ‘I can’t be placing it any better.’ From a five-fer to none for 100 will give our batting unit a lot of confidence, especially on a pretty helpful wicket from spin. Not taking anything away from him, he bowled really well and probably didn’t deserve his figures.”



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