Jofra Archer and Mark Wood get the overs in during England intra-squad match

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England enjoyed their first sight of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood bowling in tandem with a red ball on day two of the intra-squad clash at the Ageas Bowl.

With Jos Buttler’s team declaring on their overnight score of 287 for five, Ben Stokes’ side scored sedately to reach 49 for two at the lunch break.

The most enticing passage of play saw the World Cup-winning duo of Archer and Wood operating together for the first time in England whites.

Injury has largely kept the pair apart since that tournament, when a friendly rivalry spurred each man to hit 96mph, but here they came together for eight overs of lively fast bowling and conceded just seven runs while also dismissing Dom Sibley.

It was Archer who got the wicket, caught behind as one slanted towards the batsman’s body, but Wood had him dropped off a fiery short ball seconds earlier.

New-ball duties had been shared by Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad, sporting an alice band and a bandana respectively in a bid to control their lockdown locks. All players also wore black armbands in remembrance of West Indies great Sir Everton Weekes.

Woakes drew an immediate mistake from Keaton Jennings, but the latter was fortunate to see his inside edge evade the stumps and skip instead to the boundary ropes. Broad mustered one strong lbw shout against Sibley, and was typically astonished when it was rejected, but little else of note early on.

After 50 minutes of play – and with the score ticking quietly to 28 without loss – Buttler opted to up the ante.

Archer was first up from the Northern End, with Wood joining in from the Pavilion End. The pair zeroed in on Sibley, with catchers installed on the leg-side and some rib-tickling tactics testing his mettle.

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Wood should have had him for 11 when he fended the ball away as it reared towards him but Ollie Pope – standing several yards back at short leg – could not lay a clean hand on the shoulder-height chance.

A relieved Sibley made his way to the other end but was promptly dismissed by Archer, who also went short on the pads and saw the ball turned obligingly to the keeper.

The pair were withdrawn briskly, allowing Sussex’s Ollie Robinson a chance to impress alongside the spin of Dom Bess. It was the latter who struck, Jennings (23) pushing at one that gripped and Rory Burns holding at slip.

Jofra Archer Mark Wood

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