TIME’S COME FOR LEACH TO STICK AROUND
JACK LEACH finally feels he is here to stay in England’s Test set-up after establishing himself as the team’s primary spinner.
His five-day debut came almost three years ago in New Zealand but Leach had made only ten appearances before the turn of the year.
Several illnesses, including a dangerous bout of sepsis and a debilitating sickness bug on tour in South Africa – he also suffers from Crohn’s disease – as well as the rival claims of Moeen Ali and Dom Bess, meant he had never quite felt like an undisputed first choice.
But heading into the final Test against India, he is inked into the role on the back of 26 wickets in his last five appearances in Sri Lanka, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
Neither Moeen nor Bess have been able to match his control when they have played and the 29-year-old – who has 16 wickets at 29.62 in this series – is looking forward to extending his run at home this summer.
‘I don’t think I could really have expected much more of myself than how I’ve done and how I’ve got better through the tour,’ he said.
‘It has given me a lot of confidence that I can go on and play a lot for England and that I’m going to keep getting better and better.
‘Whether that’s other people’s opinion, I don’t know and I can’t control whether I’m going to be first choice, second choice or tenth choice. It’s not about that for me, it’s about reaching my potential and
playing as much as I can. I feel like I’ll go from strength to strength from here. My belief in myself is more than it has been in the past, and doing it out here in India, against some top batters, is great.
‘I know I still have lots of hard work to do but I’ve seen how I can come back from disappointment or tough times in games and put in good performances.’
Leach looks likely to be reunited
with former Somerset team-mate Bess this week, with another turning track anticipated after back-toback wins for the hosts in extreme spinning conditions left them 2-1 up heading into the concluding match.
Bess was dropped by England after sending down a series of full tosses at the end of the victorious first Test and has missed two matches on the kind of surfaces he would dream about bowling on.
Leach, for one, insists his friend is primed to bounce back strongly.
He said: ‘Dom’s worked hard in the nets and he’s a great character. He will see it as a good learning experience and I’m sure, if called upon, he’ll be more than ready to go.’
I don’t think I could have expected much more of myself than how I’ve done