Jofra Archer also slogged the ball in the nets ahead of third Ashes Test. (Screengrabs)
England’s Jofra Archer is leaving no stone unturned in hitting the headlines during his debut series-The Ashes. The Barbadian-born fast bowler has already hogged the limelight for his unplayable bouncers on the field and now Jofra has done something new.
He was seen imitating Steve Smith in the nets at Headingley ahead of the 3rd Test. Smith has unfortunately been ruled out, following a concussion he picked up at Lords. It was a pacy Archer delivery that knocked him down at the Home of Cricket. Smith’s absence is going to hurt Australia big as he was the in-form player.
Is that Jofra Archer or Steve Smith in the nets at Headingley? #Ashes @alintaenergy pic.twitter.com/RT5ADoSUjr
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 22, 2019
Copying Steve Smith’s style of leaving the balls, Jofra not only ducked the ball like Smith, but also played a few slog shots, and you could also see his stance very similar to that of Smith. Thanks to consecutive centuries in the first Test, Smith climbed up the rankings to the second spot, just behind Virat Kohli.
READ | Steve Smith revolutionises the art of leaving balls in Test cricket
Now trailing 0-1 in the five-match series, England will be keen to level the series in Leeds. The hosts have gone with the same 12-man squad for the Test, head coach Trevor Bayliss conceded that they might reconsider their batting line-up. With Jason Roy struggling at the top of the order, the hosts might consider opening with skipper Joe Root or Jonny Bairstow, who assumes that role in their white-ball cricket.
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