Jofra Archer setback adds to England’s fast bowling injury crisis

New England captain Ben Stokes will lead his side out against New Zealand at Lord’s next month without a host of fast bowling options available to him.

Here, PA news agency looks at the fitness issues affecting England’s pace attack.

A longstanding elbow problem means Archer has not played for England since March 2021 but the 27-year-old was eyeing a T20 comeback this summer, with a view to kickstarting his international career. Those hopes were scuppered by the news that he has suffered a stress fracture of the lower back and there is now no timeframe for the return of a player whose ‘X factor’ looked set to make him the fulcrum of the side.

The standout player in a losing Ashes cause this winter, Wood suffered an elbow injury in the first Test of the subsequent Caribbean tour in March. He has since undergone an operation and missed the Indian Premier League. He is hoping to ease his way back into the Vitality Blast with Durham but Test cricket is unlikely before the back end of the summer.

The Lancashire prospect made two highly promising appearances in the West Indies and looked a lock for the summer schedule. Instead, he managed just one county appearance at the start of the season before suffering the dreaded stress fracture diagnosis.

Made his debut alongside Mahmood in Barbados and took a wicket with his second ball. But the Yorkshireman is also suffering from a stress fracture, the latest in a lengthy sequence of fitness setbacks that have marred his development from a young age.

The tall Warwickshire quick has struggled to stay on the park for a number of years, meaning he has never had the chance to convert his promise into a sustained impact with England. He has suffered four stress fractures in the last five