'More Ready Than I've Ever Been': Jofra Archer Ahead Of 2nd Ashes Test

Archer claimed that he is now "more ready than" ever. "I've played a lot more red-ball cricket and it's my preferred format," Jofra Archer said at a press conference on Monday

After being named in England's 12-man squad for the second Ashes Test match, Jofra Archer is expected to make his Test debut at Lord's on Wednesday after England's strike pacer James Anderson was ruled out of the rest of the series with a calf injury after the first Ashes Test. The 24-year-old Barbados-born seamer missed the first Test defeat at Edgbaston because of a side strain. In a Second Eleven Championship game for Sussex, Archer proved his fitness as he bagged 6-27 in the first innings and then scored 108. Issuing a warning to Aussie batsmen ahead of 2nd Ashes Test, Archer claimed that he is now "more ready than" ever. "I've played a lot more red-ball cricket and it's my preferred format," Jofra Archer said at a press conference on Monday. Well, I've played a lot more red-ball (overall) than I have white-ball," said Archer. "I do think it's my preferred format anyway. Red ball isn't really shown on TV so a lot of people won't know. Looking at the scorecard, it doesn't really tell the full story of how a game panned out anyway. It was actually the first format I played in when I started at Sussex." In a Second Eleven Championship game for Sussex that was played in the days after the first Ashes Test in Birmingham, Archer scored a hundred and recorded figures of 6/27. "Yeah I was (feeling good)," said Archer. "It was good to get a chance to bat in the middle. Playing in the World Cup for the last six or seven weeks and getting six or 10 balls max, if you're not mentally strong you can actually think that's who you are. I was glad to get in the middle and hit a few and get some wickets as well. I think I ended up going past the number of overs they told me to bowl in the game so I think it was a good practice." Archer however said that his performance in the World Cup should not lead to unreasonable expectations. "What I would say is don't expect any miracles, firstly! Hopefully, I'm gonna make my debut sooner rather than later and I'll come in and do what I can. I can't work miracles - I'll try to, but I don't think that's how it might pan out. I'll try my best and I can only give my best," he said.