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England pacer Jofra Archer is set to make a comeback as he could play his first-class match for Sussex since September 2018 after being named in a 13-man squad for the County Championship match against Kent which gets underway on Thursday.
Archer had suffered a cut to his hand while cleaning at his home in January shortly before flying to India to prepare for the Test series. The ECB's medical team managed the injury throughout the tour, and it did not impact his availability. A fragment of glass was removed during the operation to his middle finger on his right hand in March. Archer had played two Tests and all the five T20Is against India, and then he was ruled out from the ODI series and the first half of the IPL. The England pacer is joined in the squad by George Garton, who returns after being rested for the match against Northamptonshire last week. The pair replace Joe Sarro and Jamie Atkins, with the latter being rested. "Any team in world cricket would be excited to name Jofra [Archer] in their squad for a game. Everybody is aware of his talents," Sussex Cricket website quoted coach Ian Salisbury as saying. "George [Garton] comes back in after we gave him last week off as part of our policy of rotating players. Based on how he has been in training over the last couple of days it was definitely the right thing to do. He's been buzzing and full of energy and comes back into the squad reinvigorated," he further said. "Similarly, Crocs [Henry Crocombe] was away with us in Northampton but didn't play and that gave him the opportunity to work with our S&C guys to make sure he got the right amount of rest." "He's also looked really fresh while bowling in training over the last couple of days. Jamie Atkins is rested this week. He could play if he had to, but he reported sore shins up at Northampton so didn't play up there and it is the right thing to do with a young man," Salisbury added. After ten matches, the top two teams in each of the competition's three groups will go into division one to battle for the Championship title over the course of four more rounds. Those in third and fourth will compete in division two, and the fifth- and sixth- placed sides will finish their season in division three. Tom Haines remains Sussex's top run scorer, with 492 from his ten innings to date, putting him fifth overall and 75 runs behind the Championship's leading run-scorer, Durham's David Bedingham. Sussex Squad: Ben Brown (captain/wicketkeeper), Jofra Archer, Jack Carson, Tom Clark, Henry Crocombe, George Garton, Tom Haines, Travis Head, Stuart Meaker, Delray Rawlins, Ollie Robinson (vice-captain), Aaron Thomason, Stiaan van Zyl (ANI)
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