Archer selection would be morally unfair: Woakes

Jofra Archer may be an exciting prospect, but fast-tracking him into England's provisional World Cup squad on Wednesday would not "be fair morally", said fellow paceman Chris Woakes.

Barbados-born Archer -- described by England all-rounder Ben Stokes as the most "naturally-gifted" bowler he has seen -- became eligible for England earlier this year.

The 24-year-old Sussex bowler -- whose father is English -- was the only high-level player to benefit when the England and Wales Cricket Board decided in November to alter residency rules.

Previously, players who entered the UK after turning 18 needed to live in the country for seven years to be eligible for England, but the ECB reduced that to three years. Archer arrived in 2015.

Woakes told BBC Sport that England, the top-ranked one-day-international team, have become close under captain Eoin Morgan as they prepared for the World Cup which gets underway in England at the end of May.

"It probably wouldn't be fair, morally, but at the same .