The dream of seeing Jofra Archer play for England at the World Cup moved a step closer to reality on Tuesday as the 28-year-old bowled off a full run‑up in the Oval nets during the team’s preparations for the third one-day international against New Zealand.
Despite the fact that Archer has not played a competitive game since 6 May, and last took a wicket in April, England continue to hope he will be able to travel to India at the end of the month as one of three reserve players, and potentially play at some point in the tournament. He is not in the squad for the New Zealand series, nor for the three games against Ireland that follow it, but is edging closer to fitness after being ruled out of the English summer by the recurrence of a stress fracture to his right elbow.
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