England vs New Zealand: Setback for hosts as Jofra Archer ruled out of Test series due to elbow injury

London: England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the two-Test series at home to New Zealand in June with an elbow injury, it was announced on Sunday. The 26-year-old quick returned to action for Sussex in a drawn County Championship match against Kent at Hove this week but bowled only five overs in the visitors’ second innings, with the Barbados-born player again troubled by a longstanding injury in his bowling arm. An England and Wales Cricket Board statement confirming Archer’s absence from the series against the Black Caps said he was “suffering from pain in his right elbow when bowling”.

Get well soon, @JofraArcher 🙏

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 16, 2021

It added: “The England and Sussex medical teams will now seek guidance, and Archer will see a medical consultant later this week to determine the next course of action on the management of his elbow.” As well as recovering from the elbow injury, Archer had also had surgery to remove a piece of glass from a cut he suffered while cleaning a fish tank. He made a promising start to his comeback match against Kent, taking 2-29 in 13 overs— a return that included England batsman Zak Crawley— as he claimed the first two wickets to fall. But Sussex coach Ian Salisbury confirmed on Saturday evening that he would not bowl again in the four-day match. “The issue here is a sad one for Jofra,” said Sussex captain Ben Brown. “He’s a champion cricketer, so talented and so gifted, but at the moment he cannot do what he wants to do— he cannot do his skill.”