After two days of using the unhelpful Kookaburra ball in New Zealand it has already become apparent that Jofra Archer will be Joe Root’s enforcer in the upcoming Test series. England are expecting flat pitches here and, unlike on the road in the recent past, they now have a bowler potentially to transcend them.
The opening day of their first-class fixture against New Zealand A side mirrored the practice match earlier in the week. Back at Cobham Oval, where the most movement on show is the rising Te Matau a Pohe bridge in the background, the hosts declared on 302 for six from 84 overs. Rory Burns then fell late on in reply when slapping to point as England closed on 26 for one.
This was more hard graft for Root’s attack as Glenn Phillips frustrated them with a fine 116 after early clouds made way for hot sunshine. Darren Gough, their ebullient bowling consultant during this warm-up period, described it as “ideal preparation” and preferable to picking up cheap wickets on a green top.
Stuart Broad struck with the new ball and leaked 66 from 16 overs. But at 33 he views such fixtures chiefly as physical tune-ups for the main event even if they go against his first-class numbers; his muted celebration upon pinning the opener Rachin Ravindra lbw said as much.
Sam Curran, preferred to Chris Woakes, tried a host of plans and changes of angles but, without any swing, went wicketless from 15 overs. Jack Leach went at two runs an over – fulfilling his brief in the first innings – as well as ending Phillips’s five-hour knock when he had him caught in the deep. His late emergence as nightwatchman seemed curious.
Ben Stokes also thundered in for a two-wicket burst in the afternoon and, though the most expensive, he should also have had Phillips on 27 when his deputy in the slips, Dom Sibley, fumbled. Gough later described England’s all-rounder as the second strike bowler on tour, which highlights the challenge for Curran in particular.
The standout, however, was Archer and not just for figures of two for 58 from 17 overs, completed when removing captain Tom Blundell – in New Zealand’s Test squad – for 60 twice in two deliveries, the first off a front-foot no-ball. Having struck Hamish Rutherford on the helmet in the morning, Archer returned after lunch, strangled the left-hander down leg for 59 second ball and then set about targeting Phillips. What followed were two nasty blows and a couple of times when the batsman was floored taking evasive action.
“Oh my goodness, that was the quickest I have faced in my life,” said Phillips, an organised right-hander who had met Archer once before in 2016 when playing for MCC young cricketers against Sussex 2nd XI.
“He got me on the forearm, nearly took my head off a couple of times and got me in the chest as well. The challenge was unbelievable. With Steve Smith getting hit [by Archer] a couple of months ago, being hurt is in the back of your mind. But he’s not out there intentionally hurting anyone, it’s more tactics.”
Root, who gave England an injury scare when jarring his hip after falling over the boundary rope, only to return later on, will naturally encourage these tactics but a balance must be struck. Archer himself insists he is more than a purveyor of bouncers, while the question of his workload remains too.
“There has been very little swing here,” said Gough, before adding that he had got a couple to hoop in the nets himself. “The way they have placed England for these two Tests [in Mount Maunganui and Hamilton] I think is quite clever as well. It’s not going to be Wellington, where you might get swing. It’s going to be hard work.”
To that end Gough pointed to New Zealand’s Test attack for clues, chiefly the fact that Trent Boult and Tim Southee are supported by Neil Wagner, the indefatigable left-armer who loves a bouncer. “You have one bowler in your side who does that,” said Gough. “And I think we all know who that is going to be: Jofra Archer.”