Archer to sit out opening ODI as England step up Ashes preparation

Jofra Archer will miss the opening ODI against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui, as England ramp up their fast-bowling preparations for the Ashes.

Archer returned to Test cricket in spectacular style this summer, after spending over four years on the sidelines with injury. There is no suggestion that he is missing the opening ODI through injury, rather that England are continuing their strategy of micromanaging one of their star players' programmes in an attempt to have him fit for as much of the Ashes as possible.

Archer, who had already been rested from the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, will arrive in the country on Thursday alongside fellow quicks Mark Wood and Josh Tongue as England's fast-bowling pack begin their conditioning before the Perth Test in just over four weeks' time.

England will face criticism from some quarters for only scheduling one warm-up fixture ahead of the Ashes, against the Lions in Perth the week before the first Test. However, they have been ultra-attentive to their fast bowlers' preparations, with the entire Test fast-bowling group, Ben Stokes included, set to join up with the Lions from November 2 - a week in advance of the rest of the group.

Of the seven fast bowlers in England's Ashes squad, only Brydon Carse and Archer are playing any role in the white-ball series against New Zealand. However, Gus Atkinson has been with the squad for close to a week, working on his own individual preparations, with Wood and Tongue set to join him in their own training.

"We've worked so hard to get to this point," managing director Rob Key said in September about England's fast-bowling group who - Wood's final steps towards full fitness pending - are close to reporting a full bill of health. "It is the last little step. So we get this bit right and hopefully we have every option available to us going into that first Test in Perth."

Of England's battery of fast bowlers, only Matthew Potts will not spend any time in New Zealand leading up to the England Lions camp, with Stokes expected to visit family in New Zealand before the group meets. Potts' delayed arrival is due to him playing all three of Durham's final matches in the County Championship in September.

Archer's absence from the opening ODI in Mount Maunganui means he will not return to the ground which is often associated with the start of his injury problems. In only his fifth Test match for England, Archer bowled 42 overs in an innings as New Zealand racked up 615 for nine. It was a figure that James Anderson only bettered once in his career when he bowled 44 overs against South Africa in 2008, while Stuart Broad only ever bowled a maximum of 36. Archer first reported elbow pain a little over a month later.

During that same fixture in 2019, Archer was also subjected to racial abuse by a member of the crowd. The spectator in question was subsequently caught and banned from attending cricket for two years.

England broke from convention as they opted against publicly naming their XI a day out from the third and final T20I at Eden Park.

In both Test and white-ball cricket, England have become accustomed to putting out their team early. However, with plenty of rain around in Auckland, there is doubt over the balance of the XI England will go with.

Eden Park, an iconic stadium that is synonymous with All Blacks rugby, is an unusual ground for cricket with the straight boundaries particularly short. This is a factor that, combined with the damp conditions, may lead to England selecting an extra seamer rather than picking two specialist spinners in Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid.

"It can sometimes be a bit mickey mouse at Eden Park," Black Caps wicketkeeper Tim Seifert told the press in Auckland. "250 can be a par score. It'll be interesting to see what the wicket plays like and we've just got to adapt to whatever we play on."