"Cut him a little bit of slack": Subdued Jofra Archer defended amid fourth Test problems

Bowling coach Chris Silverwood says expectations of the 24-year-old have to be tempered despite having suffered problems at Old Trafford

Jofra Archer might be England's newest star but expectations must be diluted, according to bowling coach Chris Silverwood.

The 24-year-old burst on the scene during the World Cup and at the start of the Ashes series.

For the first time in his Test career, Archer went wicketless in an innings - finishing with 0-93 - as Australia and double centurion Steve Smith piled on 497 for 8 declared in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Archer was also notably down on pace during his spells with the ball, but Silverwood is unconcerned and has backed the West Indies native to return to his best.

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"I think we're just going to be careful with Jofra," Silverwood told Sky Sports. 

"He's playing his third Test match, so we've got to cut him a little bit of slack. He's still finding his way into international cricket. He's figuring out what it's all about.

"Test cricket is hard work. You must put the workload in, but it's there, and he's trying and we've seen what he's capable of. But he's not going to do it every day."

Having regularly gone above 90mph on his Test debut at Lord's - which led to him flooring Smith - Archer dragged back his pace at Headingley and finished with a maiden five-for.

But he has been unable to repeat that success in Manchester, with Smith going to 211 and lapping up England's short-pitched approach.

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Silverwood added: "The one thing that we see, sat on the side when he's running in, he gets his knees pumping and he really attacks the crease.

"But again, it's part of his learning process, he is figuring out what he can and can't do in Test cricket at the moment. And it's his third game.

"The exciting thing is we know he can hit 90-plus miles an hour but, saying that I didn't bowl fast every day either, even though I tried. Sometimes it just doesn't click."

"We've tried a few [plans], to be honest (to Smith). Everything we've thrown at him, he seems to have come up with an answer. But he's just very good. I mean, it's great to watch him, though preferably not against us.

"We've gone from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C, and he seems to figure out a way, which is probably where the genius lies within him."