Archer ruled out for season with back injury


England and Sussex seamer Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the season after being diagnosed with a stress fracture to the lower back.

Archer has not played for England since their T20I series in India last March and has undergone three bouts of surgery in the last 14 months with one on his hand to remove a shard of glass, and two on his elbow.

The 27-year-old trained with England in Barbados as part of his rehabilitation earlier this year and he had planned on making his comeback for Sussex in their opening Blast fixture against Glamorgan later this month.

There were hopes that he could play some T20 cricket for England before the end of the season but the latest injury has put paid to any prospect of that.

A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board read: "After being diagnosed with a stress fracture to the lower back, England and Sussex seamer Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

No timeframe has been set for his return. A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days."

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