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England ready to unleash Jofra Archer and Mark Wood as bowling pair for first time overseas ahead of Twenty20 series opener against South Africa

Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are set to be paired together for the first time overseas later this week at a time when England captain Eoin Morgan believes the global game is witnessing a renaissance of genuinely fast bowling.

Given the ongoing public conversation about the need for England attacks to incorporate greater speed away from home, it is an anomaly that the Twenty20 series opener against South Africa on Friday will finally see them named in the same XI.

Injuries contributed to keeping them apart in Test cricket last winter and now they will be up against another 90mph duo in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, first and fourth in the leading wicket-takers list of the recently concluded Indian Premier League — a tournament for which Archer won the most valuable player award.