JOFRA ARCHER was told by his England boss that his moment of madness could have cost “tens of millions of pounds.”
Fast bowler Archer faces an ECB disciplinary enquiry after breaking Covid-19 protocols by returning to his Brighton home on Monday after the First Test.
Pals denied reports the fast bowler was visiting his girlfriend and said he had gone to see his dog, which he shares with best pal and Sussex teammate Chris Jordan.
He also wanted to check-up on fellow England star Jordan, who lives in the same block of flats as Archer and has just had a bicep op.
And team supremo Ashley Giles said: “This could have been a disaster.
“One small act could have had a ripple effect through the summer and cost us tens of millions of pounds.
“I’m sure Jofra will learn from this. I don’t think he understood the potential knock-on effect or the consequences.
“The West Indies have done a lot by coming here, huge respect to them. And he risked jeopardising all of that with one decision.”
England will recoup £280million in TV rights revenue if they play all 18 of their scheduled matches this summer.
ECB PROBE
Archer, 25, has been banished to his hotel room at Old Trafford to isolate for five days.
He will be tested twice for Covid-19 and return to the group only if both tests are negative.
He now faces an ECB probe but the signs are that cricket chiefs will not throw the book at him.
Giles added: “This is the first issue I’ve had with this very good addition to our team.
“He is a fine young man, works incredibly hard and is very polite.
“I don’t think he was at home for a particularly long period of time. He got it wrong, he’s human.
“We have to support him. Show me a man who has never made a mistake and I’ll show you a liar.”
Captain Joe Root and senior players were furious at Archer’s pit stop.
And the ECB are frantically trying to persuade the four teams playing here in the coming weeks – West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia – that it is still safe.
Embarrassed cricket chiefs have also been trying to explain to the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport how a leading player could muck up so badly.
Archer said: “I am extremely sorry for what I have done.
“I have put not only myself but the whole team and management in danger.
“I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and I want to sincerely apologise to everyone in the bio-secure bubble.
“It deeply pains me to be missing the Test match, especially with the series poised.
“I feel like I have let both teams down, and again I am sorry.”
