Cape Town: Results of a scan on England paceman Jofra Archer’s sore elbow will determine whether he will be fit to play in the second Test against South Africa, captain Joe Root said on Thursday.
Archer, who burst onto the cricket scene at last year’s World Cup, pulled up with the injury in practice on Wednesday and was awaiting the results of the scan. The second Test at Newlands starts on Friday with England 1-0 down in the four-match series after losing by 107 runs in Pretoria last Sunday.
“We are still waiting to hear back, results-wise, about his scan so we should know further today and then we’ll have to play it by ear,” Root said.
“It was quite disappointing to see him pull up like that and now we’ll just have to make another late call.” Archer batted and fielded with the rest of the team on Wednesday but then after a few balls pulled out of bowling in the nets.
Archer’s affliction, which Root said might be an old injury, adds to the tale of woe the tourists have been subjected to since arriving in South Africa on December 14 after 10 players contracted a flu virus.
“It’s been frustrating throughout, but these things happen in sport and you got to manage them as best you can and we are trying to do everything we can to make sure that if anyone does pick up illness or injury, others are fit and ready to go,” said Root.
