Cricket World Cup 2019: Jofra Archer in contention for England call-up

Jofra ArcherImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Jofra Archer took 18 wickets in 15 matches in the 2018-19 Big Bash in Australia

Jofra Archer's chances of playing for England in this summer's World Cup have been boosted after coach Trevor Bayliss said he is likely to feature in warm-up matches against Ireland and Pakistan.

Barbados-born Archer, 23, qualifies for England through his English father and holds a British passport.

England will finalise their World Cup squad on 22 May.

"Archer's name keeps cropping up and I think at some stage we will give him an opportunity," said Bayliss.

"Those matches against Pakistan and Ireland, I think he will get an opportunity to show us what he can do.

"There was a little bit of contact made during the Australian summer (English winter), when there was talk about the date that he qualified, or how many days he needed to be back in the UK. He's said publicly that he's keen."

The England and Wales Cricket Board's revised rules around residency mean Sussex bowler Archer will qualify to play for England later this month.

England's selectors will provisionally name 15 players for the World Cup on 23 April but International Cricket Council rules allow changes to be made up to 22 May.

Archer is rated as one of the most valuable limited-overs players in the world, with his ability to bowl at speeds of 90mph, athletic fielding and aggressive batting seeing him fetch £800,000 in the Indian Premier League auction in 2018.

"There was certainly a discussion between selectors, coach and captain and that's been ongoing for a little while," Bayliss added.

"Now we've got the opportunity to have a look at someone like that, why not take it?"

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Fringe players

England's 2-2 one-day series draw in the West Indies showed weaknesses in the current bowling attack, opening up an opportunity for right-arm fast bowler Archer.

Fringe players such as David Willey and Tom Curran could be the most vulnerable to losing their place, while all-rounder Joe Denly may also be at risk of being dropped.

Archer most recently played for the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia's Big Bash League, helping his team reach the semi-finals.

He has limited 50-over experience, however, with only 14 List A games in his career so far.

England begin the final leg of their Caribbean tour with the first of three Twenty20s in St Lucia on Tuesday.

IPL exports Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jason Roy will return home and be replaced by Dawid Malan, Sam Billings, Chris Jordan and Sam Curran.

England's one-day team are back in action for a solitary ODI in Ireland on 3 May before they host Pakistan for five matches.

They have two warm-up games against Australia (25 May) and Afghanistan (27 May), before they begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa at The Oval on 30 May.