Two nations, one Bajan spirit for cricket - the early story of Jofra Archer and Aaron Jones

Nhamo Winn played a pivotal role in nurturing the cricketing passions of England pacer Jofra Archer and USA captain Aaron Jones in Barbados.

Jofra Archer and Aaron Jones with Nhamo Winn (m) during a training session in February 2023. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Jofra Archer unleashed a primal scream as his cutter clean-bowled Aussie opener Travis Head during England’s Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The local fans erupted in a deafening roar, exulting in the triumph of their homegrown hero as Archer claimed his first international wicket at his home ground.

Fast forward nearly two weeks, and the Oval was alive once more. Aaron Jones, leading the USA, faced off against the West Indies in a high-stakes Super 8 clash. The air was electric as Calypso legend David Rudder serenaded the crowd with a stirring live rendition of “Rally ‘Round The West Indies.”

Just 13 kilometres away from this cauldron of cricketing passion lies Christ Church Foundation, the secondary school where both Archer and Jones honed their prodigious talents as teenagers. Their journey had started even earlier, as schoolmates at Hilda Skeene Primary, where dreams of cricketing glory first took root.

Jofra Archer (l) with Nhamo Winn in October 2019. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Nhamo Winn, a part-time physical education teacher and certified Level 3 high-performance coach, has been involved with Christ Church Foundation since 2010, witnessing the growth of talents like Archer and Jones from their junior years.

Barbados is easily one of the most verdant places in the history of Caribbean and world cricket, and Bajans, wherever found, are passionately devoted to talking about cricket. Hence, it is no surprise that two men who’ve lit up the ongoing T20 World Cup have a foundation that’s deeply embedded in the most windward of the Caribbean islands. 

When Winn first saw Archer, he was into wicketkeeping and opening the batting. “He would bowl some leg spin too,” Winn says. “But after playing some tape-ball – a tennis-ball wrapped in electrical tape – games, he started to develop an interest in fast bowling.”

FILE PHOTO: England’s Jofra Archer bowls against Namibia during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match at Siv Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, Saturday, June 15, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP

Winn says that it’s common for several tape-ball games to be played simultaneously, a testament to the sport’s deep roots in the local culture. This casual form of the sport is more than just a pastime; it’s a crucible for greatness. Historically, tape-ball cricket has been the training ground for some of the most legendary fast bowlers, with icons like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis perfecting their fiery skills during their teenage years in these impromptu matches. However, “for Archer, it [the tape ball] got him hooked on pace bowling, and thereafter we began working on his action and all the necessary mechanics, which caused drastic improvement in his pace and skill... Since he was a natural athlete, his game improved at a very fast rate, and in no time, he was the talk of the town.

“In fact, Jofra had a very special performance in a four-day game when the school played in the Intermediate Finals in 2013 against the Isolation Cavaliers. He made 80 odd and took some vital wickets that helped the school gain promotion to Division One.”

Archer, 24, was born in Barbados to a British father and could have played for the West Indies. However, after the Windies did not select him for the 2014 Under-19 World Cup, he used his British passport to play cricket in England. He was recommended to Sussex by Chris Jordan, another Barbados-born England fast bowler, and began playing county cricket in 2016.

FILE PHOTO: United States’ Aaron Jones hits a six during the men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between the USA and the West Indies at Kensington Oval. | Photo Credit: PTI

Meanwhile, born in Queens, New York, Jones grew up in Barbados. He represented Barbados at all youth levels, including U-13, U-15, and U-19. After U-19 cricket, he was selected to represent Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) in the domestic List A competition in 2016, before moving on to play for the Barbados senior team (Barbados Pride) in first-class cricket in 2017. However, he was in and out of the Barbados first-class team and given the bevy of West Indies players coming from Barbados, it was difficult for him to secure a regular spot in the starting XI.

The following year, he got the opportunity to represent the USA national men’s team. “Aaron played many match-winning innings, especially in the semifinals and finals of age-group tournaments. One that stood out was in the U-19 final versus Combermere at the Kensington Oval limited-overs competition, where he scored over 60 runs to set a defendable total. He also bowled very useful leg-breaks,” Winn said.

Winn with young Aaron Jones (l) in April 2012. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

“Both Jofra and Aaron came from humble beginnings in St. Philip. Despite the challenges, their passion and attitude towards the game attracted support from various quarters, ensuring they had the necessary gear and resources. They were dedicated, often using any means of transportation available to attend practices and games, with Jofra even cycling a considerable distance to practice at times,” Winn recalls.

To put things into context, Jofra hails from St. Philip, a parish on the east coast of Barbados, roughly half an hour’s drive from the school. “On a bicycle, it will take much longer,” Winn says with a smile.

Winn would’ve loved to see both Archer and Jones play for the West Indies, but he says their career choices have paid off handsomely. “We are all happy for them. They are happy, and that’s what is most important. We never lose contact. I spoke to both recently, and our conversation is always a coach-to-player conversation. If they have questions about improvement or if I see something when they are on TV, I ask about it and give some input, as well. They also try to seek knowledge on how best they could’ve done it or ways to do it going forward.”

Sports, with its unpredictability and emotional highs and lows, is like a wild joyride. Anyone who believes they can perfectly navigate its turbulent waters is fooling themselves. Now as two childhood friends prepare to face off in a Super 8 game in Barbados, where it all began for both, Winn will have a glint in his eye as he cheers on two of his most famous students.