ENG v WI 2020: Wouldn't swap anyone from West Indies attack for Jofra Archer, says Shane Dowrich 

Jofra Archer will be a major threat for West Indies in the upcoming Test series.

Jofra Archer | AFP Even if given the opportunity, wicketkeeper batsman Shane Dowrich said, West Indies wouldn't swap anyone from its pace attack to get the services of Jofra Archer, England's Barbados-born pace sensation, for the three-match Test series in the UK, beginning July 8. 

Archer, who played for West Indies U-19, became eligible to play for England last summer after going through a period that covered the eligibility criteria, while also playing first-class cricket for Sussex. 

Read Also: Roston Chase recalls maiden face-off against Jofra Archer in England 

This will be Archer's first Test series against some of his mates from the Caribbean. 

"If you look at the main four (bowlers we have) in Shannon (Gabriel), Kemar (Roach), Jason (Holder) and Alzarri (Joseph), they all present different skills," PA quoted Dowrich as saying. 

“Kemar is probably the most skilful of all them in terms of being able to get a consistent line and length, and moving the ball both ways. Shannon and Alzarri have a little more pace, and Jason is Mr Consistent; he can put the ball on a 10-pence piece."

"So I think we bring the whole dynamic, and then obviously you have young Chemar Holder coming up, who is an exciting talent and the way he bowled in first-class cricket this season shows that. So I think we have a well-versed attack and I look forward to seeing them bowl in this series," he added. 

This isn't to say that the visitors don't rate Archer very highly. "I know Jofra pretty well, he’s an amazing talent and I wish him well going into this series. But at the end of the day when we cross that line, it’s the West Indies against England," said Dowrich, who will be key to West Indies' chances in the series. 

“I would love to score a Test hundred in England, it’s always a challenge but I think if you’re going to rate yourself as a player you have to be able to do it. And I think I’ve been putting in enough work to actually come up with something in this series," added the 28-year-old, having been on an England tour in 2017. 

That last trip saw West Indies pull off one of its best modern-day Test wins in Headingley. But for Dowrich personally, it was a shocking experience, as his six innings in the 2-1 series defeat fetched him only 24 runs. 

“The last time I was here was very tough for me, but it was a series that really changed around my career. I was young, in unfamiliar territory and I really didn’t cope very well with it, to be honest," he said. 

“But since then I’ve been able to go away, and I’ve learned a lot from my experience of here last time. And I consider myself a different player to what I was three years ago. In England, batting will always be a challenge, but I think I’m ready and up for that," Dowrich concluded. 

(Inputs from PA)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 22 Jun, 2020

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