Jofra Archer, the highly-rated Sussex fast bowler who was born in Barbados but holds a British passport, will be available to play for England from 1 January 2019 after the England and Wales Cricket Board agreed to change its rules over eligibility. 
The 23-year-old, who has become one of the most in-demand players on the Twenty20 circuit, was not due to qualify for England selection until late 2022, having been forced to serve a seven-year qualification period under the old regulations.
This was due to Archer’s arrival in the UK, in 2015, coming after his 18th birthday. But now the ECB has tweaked its rules so that British citizens, or those born in the UK but having emigrated at a young age, require just three years of residence to be picked, provided they have not played as a local in an overseas competition in this time.
The governing body has stated that this move brings them in line with the International Cricket Council’s eligibility regulations. It also means Archer, who has previously represented West Indies at Under-19s level, could in theory be selected for the tour of the Caribbean that begins in January – a move the player would welcome.
The switch in rules was agreed at an ECB board meeting on Wednesday, which also signed off the playing regulations for the country’s new 100-ball competition. Currently known as The Hundred, it will run from 2020 and sees eight newly-created teams play a shortened format at the height of the summer.
An ECB statement reads: “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 ten balls and an individual bowler able to deliver either 5 or 10 consecutive balls with a maximum of 20 per game.”