England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA
England cricketer Jofra Archer has hit back at the level of criticism he received on social media following his breach of pandemic protocols earlier this month. PA

Jofra Archer reports racist abuse and is 'struggling for motivation' after Test ban


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Jofra Archer has revealed he received racist abuse on social media after breaching biosecurity protocols and being dropped by England.

The fast bowler has passed on details of the abuse to the English Cricket Board and is seeking to have action taken, and added he was struggling for motivation ahead of the third Test against the West Indies on Friday.

"Some of the abuse I have taken over the past few days on Instagram has been racist and I have decided that enough is enough," he wrote in the Daily Mail.

"Since Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace footballer, was abused by a 12-year-old online I drew a line and I will not allow anything to pass, so I have forwarded on my complaints to the ECB and that will go through the correct process.”

Archer was fined and warned by the English Cricket Board and forced to isolate on his own after being left out of the second Test at Old Trafford, which England won by 113 runs on Monday to level the series at 1-1

The 25-year-old went home last week instead of heading straight from the first Test in Southampton to Manchester under the strict health guidelines laid down for the series. Once the breach had been discovered, he had to spend five days in isolation but has since twice tested negative for Covid-19 and is eligible to play in the third Test starting on Friday.

"I found I was struggling for motivation in the circumstances when it came to returning to bowling in the nets," he wrote.
"When I walked outside of my room for the first time since being placed into self-isolation for breaking the Covid-19 protocols, I heard the cameras clicking with every single step I took.

"The whole spectacle made me feel uneasy. I know what I did was an error of judgment and I have suffered the consequences of that. I haven't committed a crime and I want to start feeling myself again.

"I spoke briefly to the doctor about how I'm feeling and also to Ben Stokes on Monday night. Ben tried to advise me on how to deal with being in the spotlight of international sport.

"He vowed to back me and support me. Now, I need to be 100 per cent mentally right so that I can throw myself into my cricket this week."

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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The bio

Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.