Jordan and Archer help England to series victory in South Africa

Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan have helped England to an IT20 series win in South Africa.
Chris Jordan attempts a run-out in the second IT20 / Picture: GettyChris Jordan attempts a run-out in the second IT20 / Picture: Getty
Chris Jordan attempts a run-out in the second IT20 / Picture: Getty

Both began last week with the second of two warm-up games with both on the same team again as ‘Team Buttler’ took on ‘Team Morgan’.

Jordan was the pick of the bowlers for Team Buttler, returning figures of 2-19 from three overs, taking the wicket of Tom Banton for 17 before returning to have Mark Wood caught behind for a golden duck. Meanwhile, Archer took figures of 1-39 from his allocation removing Team Morgan’s highest scorer Moeen Ali for 41.

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Neither was required with the bat as Team Buttler cruised to a six-wicket win.

Jofra Archer celebrates a wicket in the second IT20 with his Sussex teammate Chris Jordan / Picture: GettyJofra Archer celebrates a wicket in the second IT20 with his Sussex teammate Chris Jordan / Picture: Getty
Jofra Archer celebrates a wicket in the second IT20 with his Sussex teammate Chris Jordan / Picture: Getty

With the warm-ups out of the way, England began their three-match T20 series versus the hosts at Cape Town. Both Archer and Jordan were involved with the ball, both picking up wickets, Jordan taking the big wicket of keeper Quinton de Kock for 30.

Jordan finished with 1-40 from his allocation before Archer grabbed a well-deserved wicket after bowling economically, having Rassie van der Dussen caught by Dawid Malan off a rare full toss for 37 as he finished with figures of 1-28. Again neither was needed with the bat as England took a 1-0 series lead as they won by five wickets.

England named an unchanged line-up for Sunday's game in Paarl with Jordan and Archer in the wickets again. This time it was Archer who struck first as he bowled Temba Bavuma early with a rapid delivery to see the back of the South African batsman for 13.

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Archer completed a tidy spell with figures of 1-18. Jordan also grabbed a wicket in the powerplay, once again getting the wicket of Quinton de Kock for 30 before he was involved at the death, by polishing off the run-out of George Linde for 29. The T20 specialist finished with figures of 1-29 from his allocation.

Sarah Taylor in England action / Picture: GettySarah Taylor in England action / Picture: Getty
Sarah Taylor in England action / Picture: Getty

Jordan was in action later on with the bat as England slightly stuttered in their chase of 147. The bowling all-rounder came in with England needing three runs from the final four balls after Sam Curran had been bowled by Kagiso Rabada. Jordan clipped a shot for a hard run two before shovelling a shot over square-leg to clinch a four-wicket win and a series victory with one game to go.

Archer and Jordan have been heavily involved on the pitch around the world as of late but were also involved off it this week as they were named ACE programme ambassadors.

ACE Programme is a charity that aims to support diverse cricketing talent from the grassroots to the elite and was set up by Surrey earlier this year, with Archer and Jordan joining a host of big names in becoming ambassadors including Mark Butcher and Alex Tudor.

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England and Sussex great Sarah Taylor has been nominated for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade. Taylor is the only English candidate up for the nomination along with five other nominees, Australian’s Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning, Stefanie Taylor of the West Indies, Suzie Bates from New Zealand and Mithali Raj of India.

Supporters can vote for who they think should win in each category here. Those that vote will be in with a chance of winning a trip to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in India.

Sussex captain Georgia Adams has been re-signed by Oval Invincibles for the first edition of The Hundred next summer. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the ECB’s new competition was postponed to next year.