Following England's exhilarating series-levelling victory against Australia at Lord's, it's time for both teams to channel the spirit of the Pet Shop Boys—or the Village People, for those of a certain age—and head west. The only hitch for Sunday's thrilling decider in Bristol is an afternoon forecast that leans more towards Wet, Wet, Wet. The Metro Bank One-Day Cup final saw officials exercise common sense by scheduling a 20-over match ahead of expected rain on its reserve day earlier in the week. However, regulations might be stricter for an international match, raising the possibility of a 2-2 draw between these two nations for the second consecutive summer. It may not be the Ashes, but it would still be somewhat of an anticlimax.
One player eager to take the field is Jofra Archer, a fast bowler making up for lost time after being sidelined for much of the past few years due to injuries. Whether England is prepared to let him play back-to-back games—even after just six overs on Friday—remains uncertain. Archer was initially slated to play in games one, three, and five of this series but nudged the medical staff to include him in the fourth match. England's caution is understandable, as management aims to balance his recovery from elbow stress fractures. Archer's year has been meticulously planned—almost to the point of dictating his shower times, he joked earlier in the season—with a potential Test comeback in mind. Archer is unsure when he will be handed a red ball—Rob Key and physio Craig de Weymarn will make that call—but the away Ashes in just over a year's time remains the long-term objective.
“We had to win to keep the series alive, and that alone made it special,” said Archer, fresh from his figures of two for 33 on the night. “Sunday is like a final. I don’t think anyone wants to miss Lord’s. The physios and medical team gave their input, but ultimately, it’s a group decision, and I nudged them a bit for this one. I’m just happy to be playing whatever cricket is on.” He continued, “I’m still on the field and we’re nearing the end of the summer. So for me, that’s a win. I wanted to play a summer, then a year, and then a few years. So everything is on track.”
While Archer embarked on this journey during the T20 World Cup and was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the team, Friday night under the lights marked a significant step forward. Archer bowled with sustained pace—his fastest since 2019—and had the white Kookaburra ball zipping around. Marnus Labuschagne, struck on the forearm first ball, and Mitch Marsh, clean bowled by an almost unplayable delivery, can attest to this. It may be projection, but it also felt like Archer was truly leading the attack, motivating players like Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts through his performance. At 29, the right-armer is one of the older heads in this rebooted ODI side; a side that has shown character from 2-0 down and has been driven by Harry Brook’s explosive batting form. Were it not for a preventive schedule, Brook could be seen as a potential replacement for Jos Buttler as captain.
“It’s strange seeing the team change,” Archer said. “Just the other day I was playing warm-up football on the ‘young side’ and a couple of weeks later I’m on the old team. It’s been a bit of a shock, but everyone is looking forward. The guys have been around and have played significant roles for their counties, so it’s not like you’re babysitting anyone. Everyone looks after themselves, and Brooky looks after everyone.”
