Jofra Archer could play for England at World Cup

LONDON: Jofra Archer could be set to play for England in the both the World Cup and the Ashes next year, after the ECB announced a change to its eligibility criteria - from seven years to three - following its board meeting at Lord’s on Wednesday.

Archer, 23, was born and raised in Barbados, and represented West Indies at Under-19 level. However, he has been on Sussex’s books since arriving at the county in 2015, and has risen to become one of the most sought-after all-rounders.

Under the previous ECB regulations, Archer had been braced to serve a seven-year residency qualification, which would have made him available to England in 2022.In a press release, the ECB confirmed the changing criteria for players such as Archer, who had moved to the UK after their 18th birthday, stating that the new regulations brought the board into line with the ICC’s own regulations.The change will come into force on January 1, 2019, meaning that Archer could make his England debut on the tour of the Caribbean that starts later that month.