Sussex have pledged to take good care of Jofra Archer.

The England pace bowler could play for his county when they host Kent at Hove from Thursday.

He bowled 30 overs in a day last week as he made a comeback with the 2nd XI against Surrey following hand and elbow injuries.

The next step could be to appear in the LV= Insurance County Championship as he eyes the summer Test match programme.

Sussex’s young side have lost three in a row after a bright start to the season.

Archer’s presence would give them a lift, if only for one match.

But coach Ian Salisbury has warned it will not necessarily happen.

Speaking after the innings defeat at Northants, Salisbury said: “Jof has been in a bubble for well over 12 months now.

“He’s had elbow injuries, he’s had surgery on his finger, I think it was 100% the right decision to ease him back in last week.

“Just because he’s this global superstar, who’s an amazing guy as well, I always say the person comes first.

“If it wasn’t Jofra, nobody would be saying, ‘Oh he’s got to play, he can just turn up and perform’.

“We have to treat him with real caution and look after him as a person.

“If it had been Ollie (Robinson) and he had a finger injury, we would have eased him back into it.

“We wouldn’t have just gone, ‘There you go’ and throw him out there.

“It doesn’t work like that in professional sport. Football players and rugby players would have practice games and you ease them back in.

“If he’s right to play this week then so be it, but if he’s not, he’s not because it is more important long term.

“Are we going to force him to come back when he’s actually England’s player and say he gets injured and he can’t play in the Test matches this summer? I wouldn’t be very popular.

“We have to look after Jofra and look at the bigger picture.

“He is a superstar for England and we want him to be winning World Cups for England and winning the Ashes.”