Archer said there will be nothing friendly with Smith in their match
England fast bowler Jofra Archer said he would have to put his friendship with Australia batsman Steve Smith ahead of their 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup match tomorrow.
“He’s a really good guy. But cricket is cricket and I guess it’s time to be friends after. Until the game is over, there will be nothing friendly about it,” said Archer.
Archer continued that he hoped his pace and inside knowledge of the Australia batsman would be useful in their upcoming match. Archer jokingly added that Smith had not wanted to face him in the field during their time as teammates in Indian Premier League (IPL) Rajasthan Royals.
“To be honest, I didn’t bowl at him much,” stated Archer. “A lot of the guys probably don’t want to face me or (West Indies fast bowler) Oshane Thomas in the nets. They like the side-arm and the throw downs. But when you play with them you pick up on things you won’t normally notice when you’re just playing against them.”
The fast bowler recently qualified for the England cricket team in March. This meant that it will be his first time to play against Australia in an international tournament tomorrow at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
“Just from watching the Ashes and stuff I know it is a pretty intense game between them,” said Archer about England and Australia cricket matches. “I’m not too sure if it will affect me coming in without having experienced it before. It could be an advantage, me not being part of what happened before.”
England currently has +185 odds to win the entire World Cup while Australia have +240 odds.
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