The in-demand fast bowler, born in Barbados, could feature in the upcoming tour of the West Indies and the ODI World Cup in 2019
Highly-rated fast bowler Jofra Archer will be able to play for England from the start of 2019 after the ECB changed its rules over eligibility.
The Sussex paceman, who has become one of the most in-demand players on the T20 circuit, was born in Barbados but holds a British passport after moving to England in 2015.
He had originally been forced to serve a seven-year qualification period because his arrival came after his 18th birthday, meaning he would not be eligible for England until 2022.
However, the ECB has now ruled that British citizens require just three years of residence to be picked.
Archer, 23, could therefore be selected to face the West Indies, who he represented at Under-19s level, for England’s tour of the Caribbean in January.
“It may or may not happen, but I would love to debut in front of my family,” Archer said after the announcement.
Archer has flourished on the county circuit with Sussex alongside fellow Bajan-born Chris Jordan.
He has enhanced his reputation on the domestic Twenty20 circuit, however, playing a starring role for the Hobart Hurricanes as they reached the final of last year’s Australia’s Big Bash.
The Indian Premier League came calling earlier this year as he earned a bumper £800,000 contract with the Rajasthan Royals, and he duly proved his worth by finishing the tournament as the franchise’s leading wicket-taker.
Capable of exceeding 90mph, Archer is also a useful lower-order batsman and an athletic fielder, which should see him come into England’s thinking in all three formats.
The competition for places in England’s World Cup squad next summer is so fierce that he can only really be considered as a bolter but his availability gives them a welcome headache.
Meanwhile, the playing conditions for the country’s new 100-ball competition have been agreed by the ECB’s Cricket Committee.
‘The Hundred’, which has been heavily criticised by many, will run from 2020 with eight new teams playing a shortened format.
Several pilot days at the back end of last season at Loughborough and Trent Bridge were commissioned in an effort to fine-tune the concept.
And an ECB statement on Thursday said: “The Cricket Committee recommendation for playing conditions in the new competition – agreed by the Board – is for; each innings to be 100 balls, a change of end after every 10 balls and an individual bowler able to deliver either five or 10 consecutive balls with a maximum of 20 per game.”