Cricket World Cup 2019: Fiery Jofra Archer douses South Africa hopes as England win opener

He was a relatively late inclusion in an England squad that spent four years preparing for the World Cup. But it didn’t take long for Jofra Archer to show he belonged on the grandest of stages.

Jofra Archer is the centre of attention as England cruise to victory.

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Jofra Archer picked up the vibe after hearing his name announced on his Cricket World Cup debut at the Oval.

It was all the motivation he needed to rattle South Africa’s top order with his intimidatory pace and bounce, picking up three wickets to set England on course for a 104-run win in the opening match of the tournament.

To think, there’d been some critics of the Barbados-born fast bowler’s rushed and relatively late inclusion in an England squad that spent four years preparing for a World Cup on home soil.

Any doubters were well and truly drowned out by a vociferous crowd that got right behind Archer at one of cricket’s oldest international arenas.

Jofra Archer is the centre of attention as England cruise to victory.

“Everyone exploded when my name was announced and it’s a great feeling,” Archer said.

“It gave me that little bit extra. My bouncer is a wicket-taking ball and a dot ball so I’d be stupid not to use it.”

And use it he did.

Archer forced Hashim Amla to retire hurt in the fourth over after a short ball reared up and hit the veteran opener on the helmet.

He then disposed of Amla’s replacement - dismissing Aiden Markram to grab England’s first wicket of the tournament - before having South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis caught for 5 from a poorly timed pull shot.

South Africa suddenly was reeling at 2-44 in the 10th over, without its two most experienced batsmen either out or temporarily out of commission.

Jofra Archer took three wickets in the first match.

The South Africans still had a slight chance with Rassie van der Dussen resisting for 50, until Archer returned to remove him and make the score 6-167. That wicket brought Amla back to the crease after being cleared of concussion, and guess who was there to greet him?

Archer fired in another short delivery that Amla let slide by chest-high to the wicketkeeper, but it wasn’t long before he was out, too.

South Africa, chasing England’s 8-311-8, was all out for 207 with 10 overs remaining.

Some of the best batsmen in the game - India captain Virat Kohli among them - talked about the X-factor that the 24-year-old Archer would lend to the England attack.

He delivered it over and over again as he regularly bowled at speeds above 145 kph and gave the bowlers first bragging rights in a World Cup expected to be dominated by the bat.

England captain Eoin Morgan commended his bowlers for the way they went about defending a lower total than most anticipated, lavishing praise on the newest member of the team.

Hashim Amla is hit in the head by a Jofra Archer rocket.

“Jofra Archer bowled fast and accurate on a slow pitch, it was outstanding from a young guy,” Morgan said.

“He’s taking everything in his stride, it’s very exciting.”

Archer had played only three one-day internationals for England leading into the World Cup.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2019: Fiery Jofra Archer douses South Africa hopes as England win opener