• Buttler buoyed by return of ‘superstar’ Archer

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    England white-ball captain Jos Buttler is glad to see Jofra Archer back in action following the fast bowler’s wicket-taking return to action for Sussex’s 2nd XI.

    Injuries have blighted Archer’s international career and he has not played top-level cricket for the past year.

    England, however, have recalled Archer for the defence of their T20 World Cup title in the West Indies and USA next month, with the paceman also selected for the upcoming warm-up series against Pakistan.

    Archer continued his build-up to the four-game series against Pakistan by turning out for Sussex’s second string on Friday.

    He was parachuted into the match on day four, taking the new ball and returning figures of 1-11 in six sharp overs in Kent’s second innings at Beckenham.

    The 29-year-old, previously playing domestic cricket in his native Barbados, hit home opener Ekansh Singh on the helmet and then had him caught in the slips.

    Archer will join the England squad in Leeds ahead of the first T20I against Pakistan at Headingley on Wednesday.

    Buttler, who returned early from the IPL to oversee England’s World Cup preparations, told Britain’s Press Association news agency: “It’s a huge encouragement for him to be back and see him ready to play.

    “Everyone knows what he is capable of and the attitude he possesses. As a captain he is someone you can always turn to in a game because he always has a trick up his sleeve.

    “It’s great to be able to call on him but it’s important to manage expectations. He has been out of it for a while now so we will need to look after him and realise that it might just take him a little while to be the Jofra of 2019.”

    Dynamic batsman Buttler added: “He is a proper superstar but we do have to be smart with him. It’s a jump in intensity from what he’s doing now to international cricket and you can’t really replicate it.”

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt