Australia great Steve Waugh admits Jofra Archer has “the X-factor” after his spectacular Ashes debut.
On his first appearance in Test cricket, Archer bowled regularly above 90mph and struck Steve Smith on the neck. It left Australia’s best batsman with concussion, and doubtful for the Third Test which on Thursday.
Waugh, who is now working as a mentor with the Australia squad, was one of the most successful Aussie captains of the modern era — but even his side may have struggled against a bowler with Archer’s gifts. The 54-year-old said: “As a captain, you really want that bowler in your line up when you know you can intimidate the opposition, you can make things happen when it’s a seemingly flat pitch and potentially get wickets in clumps. It gives you that X-factor. He’s a real asset to England.
“It’s something our team has got to analyse and work out how to play that because it was pretty effective in the Lord’s Test match.
“He is a very impressive bowler, for sure.”
Waugh believes there are similarities between Archer and Aussie great Glenn McGrath, who took 563 Test wickets.
Waugh, who played 168 Tests, told the Unplayable Podcast: “I can’t see too much going wrong with his action and his control was very good for that reason, because he just bowls in a direct line and he’s close to the stumps.”
