Cricket World Cup 2019: England deny Jofra Archer selection will rock the boat in traditional pre-tournament tinkering

The Sussex bowler has been included in the squads for the Ireland and Pakistan games and could yet feature at the World Cup

While England’s recent World Cup record has been, at best, far from glorious, they can at least claim a rich history in one area – the surprise last minute change. From Nick Knight’s axing on the eve of the last home tournament in 1999, to the unceremonious end of Alastair Cook’s captaincy only a few months before the last edition in 2015, England have become practically synonymous with pre-tournament tinkering.

Despite approaching it as the number one ranked side in the world and with a first XI that practically picks itself, this World Cup is proving no different for England, the question of Jofra Archer’s selection suddenly popping its head out from behind the curtain.

For now Ed Smith and the selectors have ultimately done the sensible thing and delayed that decision until further down the line – Archer, along with Chris Jordan, named in the squads for the warm up games against Ireland and Pakistan, but not the preliminary 15-man World Cup squad.

Speaking to the media after the squad announcements, Smith was at pains to stress that Archer’s inclusion in the squads for the Ireland and Pakistan games meant they’d “taken the opportunity to pick him in the first cricket he could play in”, repeating the assertion several times in a briefing that ultimately revealed little new about England’s thinking for the World Cup.

“He’s a very exciting talented cricketer, I think everyone can see that,” said Smith. “In terms of his attributes I think there’s no doubt at all that Jofra Archer is a very exciting cricketer, that’s reflected in his performances in all the cricket teams he’s played in so far, but also it goes over and above that, he’s an exciting talent and I think all the decision makers are looking forward to him playing for England.”

With searing pace, a fearsome yorker and the ability to bowl at any point during an innings, not to mention huge athleticism in the field and being more than handy with the bat, it is not hard to see why there has been so much clamour for Archer’s selection – perhaps the only real opposition to it so far coming from the England fast bowlers whose necks he is breathing down.

Could the late introduction of Archer, at the expense of one of the men who has helped make England favourites for the tournament, disrupt the squad at this late stage? As far as Smith is concerned no.

“Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan are in the dressing room, they’ve led that team, they’re fully aware of where people are at, what the key personalities think and believe, and they completely endorse this plan. So I’d say Jofra Archer deserves this opportunity, he’s good enough, his attributes suggest he warrants selection. As soon as he became available for selection we’ve selected him. From that point on it’s over to the players.”

With just over five weeks to go until they have to name their final World Cup squad, England’s selectors have for the time being postponed the difficult decision that awaits them, with Liam Plunkett, Tom Curran and David Willey all perhaps looking a little nervously over their shoulders. The knowledge that it will be extremely harsh on whoever eventually misses out, not offering much consolation.

Jofra Archer in action for the Hurricanes earlier this year (Getty Images)

Injury may ultimately come to the selectors aid, although another option would be to replace Joe Denly, who Smith denied had “slipped back into the squad”, but nevertheless seems an unnecessary part of it – an extra fast bowler would at this stage be much more useful to England than the spare batsman, part-time spinner role that Denly offers – and for all that Smith described him as “one of England’s leading spin bowlers” he has only 46 List A wickets since his debut in 2004, an average of three a season.

Sussex Sharks' Jofra Archer (PA)

Archer for now can only look to the Pakistan series to try and force the selectors hands.

“I’m going to give it my best shot, I’ve worked pretty much all my life for this moment and I just want to tackle it and put my best foot forward.

“It should be a good series. Hopefully I get a chance to play and do myself justice.”

Should he succeed there then he will surely be impossible to leave out and England will once have to adjust their squad at the last minute. Then again would it even be the cricket World Cup if they didn’t?