Jofra Archer reveals he suffered racist abuse on social media after protocol breach

The seamer is available for the third Test against West Indies at Emirates Old Trafford, which begins on Friday, after he completed a five-day period of self-isolation and returned two negative Covid-19 tests

Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he has received on social media since breaching bio-secure protocols, adding that he has been subjected to racist abuse on Instagram.

The 25-year-old, who took three wickets in the second innings of England's six-wicket defeat in Southampton, breached bio-secure protocols by travelling to his flat in Hove on Monday after leaving the Ageas Bowl, meaning that he was subsequently removed from the squad for the second Test on the morning of the game.

He is available for the third Test against West Indies at Emirates Old Trafford, which begins on Friday, after he completed a five-day period of self-isolation and returned two negative Covid-19 tests. Archer was fined and handed a written warning at an ECB disciplinary hearing.

Writing in a column for the Daily Mail, however, the seamer admitted that the episode had taken a mental toll on him.

“Now I have done my time, it’s over, and I am trying to move on,” he wrote. “I know what I did was an error of judgement and I have suffered the consequences of that. I haven’t committed a crime and I want to start feeling myself again.

“This week has showed me that whatever I do will be a focus of attention. If I sneeze too hard it's going to be headlines.

“To be straight, if I play and don't bowl 90 miles an hour, it's going to be news. If I don't bowl 90 miles per hour for long enough, it's going to be news. If I don't put my left sock on first, it's going to be news. I understand that is the scrutiny of playing at this level and being in that spotlight.”

He added: “The second innings in Southampton showed me how fickle cricket is. In the first innings, I hear I am this and that - overrated. Then, the second innings comes, I do well and it's all: 'He's a great player.' That's cricket. Some days are good, some are bad. No-one is going to be amazing all the time. Sometimes I feel it's not a fair world - really and truly.

“This whole week has been extremely tough and to spend five days in isolation has given me a lot of thinking time on where I am at. I give 100% every time I go out there and I don’t want to go out on the field unless I can guarantee doing that.”

He stated that he has reported racist abuse and forwarded it onto the ECB, while also unfollowing and muting several social media accounts in order to remove himself from the attention and negativity.

He also explained that he had apologised to his teammates and thanked them for supporting him, while he has spoken to Ben Stokes for advice on dealing with the “spotlight of international sport”.

Head coach Chris Silverwood, speaking on the first day of the Test, emphasised the need to back Archer.

“He’s made a mistake and he’s made a bad judgement call really,” he said at the time. “He knows he’s done that and we’ll support him as best we can. He’s got five days in isolation now stuck in a hotel room, so we’ve got to make sure he’s all right from a wellbeing point of view and we look after him.”