Manchester: Former captain Michael Atherton termed Jofra Archer’s bio-secure bubble breach “very foolish” as his irresponsible act has thrown the team’s plans into disarray ahead of second Test against the West Indies.
Archer was on Thursday (July 16) dropped from the second Test against the West Indies for breaking the team’s bio-secure protocol and will now undergo two COVID-19 tests during a five-day isolation period.
Archer apologised for the lapse, which wasn’t specified in the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement but ‘BBC Test Match Special’ said the speedster had visited his home in Brighton after the first Test.
“It’s very foolish for a number of reasons. One, it cost him a place in the team. Secondly, it’s thrown England’s plans into disarray, a vital Test match that they must win to try and win this series,” Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket broadcast.
“And thirdly it’s put at risk all the work that ECB have done. These six Test matches, three against West Indies, three against Pakistan, they’ve had to do a tremendous amount of work to get these games on.”
The ongoing series against the West Indies and the following duel against Pakistan next month are being played amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The first Test against the Caribbean side in Southampton passed off without any incident.
Atherton said the players of both the sides involved in the series, organised amid the COVID crisis, can’t afford to break rules as there is plenty of money at stake. England are currently trailing the three-match series against West Indies 1-0 after losing the first Test by four wickets at the Ageas Bowl.
