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Burns dismissed after England suffer Archer blow in 2nd West Indies Test

Manchester - England were forced to leave out Archer before Thursday's first day after the fast bowler admitted to breaking coronavirus protocols

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 England lost opener Rory Burns on the stroke of lunch as they came to terms with the dramatic withdrawal of Jofra Archer from the second Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford on Thursday.

In a match they have to win to square the three-match series at 1-1, England were forced to leave out Archer before Thursday's first day after the fast bowler admitted to breaking coronavirus protocols.

It looked as if England, sent in to bat in overcast Manchester conditions by West Indies captain Jason Holder, would get through a rain-shortened first session without losing a wicket after the tourists' fast bowlers erred in line and length.

But on the stroke of lunch, off-spinner Roston Chase struck with just his second ball to dismiss Burns for 15.

Burns compounded his dismissal by wasting a review when he was plumb lbw, with England 29-1.
Sussex fast bowler Archer broke the rules by leaving the bio-secure bubble where his teammates were staying to go home to Brighton on Monday following the end of the first Test, before the team travelled up to Manchester.

His removal from the squad was announced just three hours before play was due to begin at Old Trafford.
Archer's absence deprived England of genuine speed on an Old Trafford pitch with a reputation for aiding fast bowlers after the hosts had already decided to rest James Anderson and Mark Wood.

West Indies were unchanged from the side that beat England by four wickets in last week's first Test at Southampton.

If they win one of the two remaining matches of this campaign, both taking place at Old Trafford, the West Indies will secure their first Test series victory in England for 32 years.

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