English pacer apologizes: Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the second Test for breaching rules at the bio-secure bubble.
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England fast bowler Jofra Archer will miss the second Test of the ongoing West Indies series after he breached biosecurity rules at the Old Trafford in Manchester.
There is no hiding to the fact that players and officials are being kept under a bio-secure bubble to prevent them from contacting with coronavirus. With Archer breaking the protocol, letting him play would require a huge amount of risk for all the people involved inside the bubble.
Archer, who registered bowling figures of 39-6-106-3 in the first Test in Southampton, will have to self quarantine for five days before re-joining the squad. The 25-year old player will also have to undergo a couple of COVID-19 tests in this period.
According to Independent, Archer didn’t break the protocol in either of Southampton or Manchester. He breached the rule whilst moving from one bio-secure bubble to the other and it was only last night that the England Cricket Board got to know about it.
English pacer apologizes for breaking biosecurity protocols
“The West Indies team have been made aware and are satisfied with the measures that have been imposed,” read an ECB statement.
Archer, whose exclusion will surely affect the hosts who are already 0-1 down in the series, apologized to everyone inside the bio-secure bubble in a statement.
“I am extremely sorry for what I have done. I have put, not only myself, but the whole team and management in danger. I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and I want to sincerely apologise to everyone in the bio-secure bubble.
“It deeply pains me to be missing the Test match, especially with the series poised. I feel like I have let both teams down, and again I am sorry,” read Archer’s statement.
With ECB not announcing an immediate replacement for Archer, it leaves England with a 12-member squad ahead of the second Test. While the batting division looks set, captain Joe Root is highly likely to leave one out Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran and Ollie Robinson.
With England already not considering James Anderson and Mark Wood for this Test, it means that they will play a whole new fast bowling attack from the first Test today.
