JACK HAPPY TO BE BACK IN THE PINK OF HEALTH

THE last time Jack Leach toured New Zealand a bout of sepsis left him hospitalised in Hamilton.

But the spinner (above) insists England’s new-found relaxed approach to Test cricket has left him healthier, happier and more ready than ever to perform.

Leach, who takes immunosuppressants to combat Crohn’s disease, developed blood poisoning brought on by gastroenteritis during the 2019 trip. An ambulance was called when his heart-rate shot to 190 and temperature to 40C, with Leach later admitting he feared that he would not wake up.

His recovery was full and swift, but when England checked into Hamilton’s Novotel this week, he took a moment to recall his previous visit.

“I was like, ‘Ah, there’s bad memories coming here’,” he said. “I was on a drip and had antibiotics in the other arm. It slowly got worse and worse.

“I was really struggling for a bit. But that’s all in the past, I’m having too much fun to get ill now.

“It can be stress related, so maybe being a little bit more relaxed is actually helping that side of my health as well.”

Leach’s positive outlook is another example of the buoyant mood that has swept the camp in the nine months since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took the helm.

Emboldened by a run of nine wins in 10 games, England have just enjoyed a team-bonding break in Queenstown.

The tourists have just two days of pink-ball action under floodlights at Seddon Park before the series gets going with a day/night match in Mount Maunganui on Thursday week. But Leach sees plenty of benefits to the new approach.

“We’ve been spending more time together building that team atmosphere,” he added.

“I don’t feel like I need a load of game time to be ready. We’re just trusting ourselves and trusting each other a lot more.”

■ LASITH CROOSPULLE hit an unbeaten 122 as Sri Lanka A made 190-3 on a rain-affected first day of the second unofficial Test against England Lions.