England fast bowler Jofra Archer on Friday became the first England player in 30 years to score a half-century and claim a five-wicket haul in a Test match on Australian soil. The landmark achievement came during England’s ongoing third Ashes Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Firstly, Archer set the tone early with the ball, delivering an incisive spell in Australia’s first innings. He ripped through Australia's batting order to finish with superb figures of 5/53. His contribution with the bat was equally noteworthy. Walking in with England under pressure, he played a key and decisive role. Batting alongside skipper Ben Stokes, Archer mounted a defiant fightback, notching up a vital half-century off 105 balls.
His knock of 51 included five boundaries and a six as England suffered a horrible collapse. His partnership with Ben Stokes steadied England’s innings and swung the momentum back in their favour. The last England player to accomplish the feat in a Test match in Australia was pacer Darren Gough, who did so during the Sydney Test in 1995. On that occasion, Gough scored a crucial 51 and returned remarkable bowling figures of 6/49 and 1/72 across the match.