Jofra Archer: County game key before Test return – Michael Vaughan

Archer emerged as one of England’s most exciting prospects in 2019 when he bowled the decisive super over in the home World Cup win, before taking 22 wickets at 20.27 across four Tests in the Ashes series that followed.

But he has since been plagued by injury – an elbow issue first suffered in 2020 has required several surgeries and he also had a stress fracture in his back in 2022.

As a result, Archer’s frequent attempts to return to international cricket have been stop-start.

He was expected to play in the white-ball series against West Indies at the beginning of this summer but hurt his thumb while playing in the Indian Premier League.

Sussex start another County Championship game against Warwickshire on Sunday, which would overlap with the second Test – and Vaughan has backs the bowlers who played in the first Test to be selected again.

“Josh Tongue, the hoover, let him do that again at Edgbaston,” Vaughan said, referring to the Nottinghamshire seamer’s ability to knock over the lower order as he did in both innings at Headingley.

“Chris Woakes needs more of a run out, and then Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse have been fantastic. They’re 1-0 up, played some great cricket, so go with the same again.”