Jofra Archer "lived up to the hype" on Test debut, says Joe Root

SAM MORSHEAD AT LORD'S: Though Archer did not get his name on the honours board in the pavilion - as he had hinted at in a tweet prior to the game - his arrival in this series had a seismic effect

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Joe Root says Jofra Archer lived up to the hype on a devastating Test debut at Lord’s.

Archer returned five wickets in the match and terrorised the Australian batsmen with searingly fast bowling, frequently topping 90mph, with a top speed of 96.1.

His battle with Steve Smith on the fourth day, which bubbled up to the moment that Smith was struck sickeningly on the back of the neck, resulting in his retiring hurt, was the iconic passage of play in another pulsating encounter at Lord’s.

Though Archer did not get his name on the honours board in the pavilion - as he had hinted at in a tweet prior to the game - his arrival in this series had a seismic effect.

“It seems so. He’s come in and really has made a massive impact, added a different dynamic to our bowling group and has given Australia something different to think about,” Root said.

“It’s really pleasing to see someone come in on Test debut and really shake up things and live up the hype, even some of the hype that he put on himself.

“It makes for a very interesting last three games.

“He makes things happen when not many others in world cricket can, it’s such a unique action and way of bowling and his natural pace is always going to be on the game on any surface.

“It makes for a tasty combination and one of the reasons why we always felt we were in the game right until the end tonight.”

Root certainly made the most of having Archer at his disposal, giving the seamer 44 overs in all.

So, is he running the risk of burning out England’s new weapon? The captain says it will take time for him to learn the best way to balance his various bowling assets.

“It’s very different to the other options we’ve had previously,” he said.

“It’s a slightly different dynamic, something new to work with and today was very unusual circumstances. It will be different at Headingley and in the future as well.

“You’ve got to play the situation in front of you. We went a certain way today and we might go a different way in the future.”

Thanks to a wonderful hundred from Ben Stokes - his seventh in Tests and first in any international match since that ill-fated night out in Bristol nearly two years ago - England set Australia 267 to win from 48 overs over the final two sessions of the game.

There were moments - when the visitors were 19 for 2 early on, and then when they lost a cluster of wickets in the dying light - where it looked as though Root’s men could eke out a famous win.

Ultimately, however, that was not to be and England go on to Headingley for the third Test knowing that they must win two of the remaining three games to regain the Ashes urn.

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Jofra Archer struck Marnus Labuschagne on the helmet with the second ball he faced

“I thought we threw everything at them, gave ourselves a good amount of overs to try to create things,” Root said. “Sometimes you need absolutely everything to go for you. We might look back at the odd missed opportunity but all in all it was a fantastic effort, from the start of the day.

“We knew it was going to be very difficult for Australia to get any sort of result out of the game, the bowlers put in a really good shift and credit to Australia, they managed to hang on.

Australia may or may not be able to call on their talisman Smith for the match at Headingley.

Smith, having been allowed to return to bat following the blow to the neck on day four, woke up on day five groggy and subsequently failed a concussion test.

That resulted in Australia filing the necessary paperwork for a concussion replacement - the first such example in Test history. Marnus Labuschagne filled in for Smith in the second innings and contributed a vital 59.

Cricket Australia have no mandated timeframe which Smith must sit out having been diagnosed with concussion, but he must get a medical professional’s sign-off to return to training and the short turnaround between Lord’s and Headingley - the third Test begins on Thursday - makes it highly unlikely he will be available for selection.

Root says England will continue to prepare as if Smith is in the Australia XI, however.

“That was a horrible moment,” he said. “I couldn’t believe that he managed to come back out and play, desperate to do well for Australia and his teammates.

“All of us in the dressing room want to wish him a speedy recovery. It was not a nice moment.

“We’ll plan for him to be ready to play and figure out ways to get him out.”

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