High fives for Jack after slow return from illness
JACK LEACH was happy to get some reward for his aches and pains with the five-wicket haul that pushed England to the brink of victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test.
The left-arm spinner claimed five for 122 on the fourth day in Galle, including the last four wickets to fall, which should have made victory a formality this morning.
Leach was shattered after sending down 41.5 overs – hardly a surprise given he has made just two first-team outings for Somerset since last representing his country in November 2019.
Soon after that the 29-year-old feared for his life after contracting sepsis in New Zealand and was again laid low on the subsequent tour of South Africa. Medication he takes for Crohn’s disease also makes him vulnerable to Covid-19 but right now Leach is just grateful to be playing Test cricket again.
‘It’s been hard on the body. Right now I feel pretty tired and sore,’ he said after play yesterday.
‘I’m just taking it a day at a time, one thing I’ve learned is you never know what is around the corner so I’m just trying to enjoy each day and see what happens. It’s nice to get five and I feel I’ve got better as the game has gone on, which is a good sign. I try and use those lows to propel me on to highs and it puts things into perspective.
‘It’s been about building back up slowly and I think I am over that now. Hopefully now about getting as much cricket in as possible.
‘If I’m healthy and fit and able to play, that’s the main thing because I don’t take that for granted.’
Sri Lanka were finally bowled out for 359, keeping England sweating in seething heat for almost 137 overs, with Lahiru Thirimanne completing a century and Angelo Mathews digging in for 71.
The value of Leach’s haul became ever clearer as the tourists lost their first three wickets for just 14 in a frenzied final passage of play.
Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and captain Joe Root fell inside six overs to leave England on 14 for three and raise hopes the hosts could pull off an astonishing victory.
Root’s dismissal was particularly chaotic, Jonny Bairstow having called for a quick single only for the captain to collide with Dilruwan Perera and he was well short when the stumps were broken.
However, Bairstow and debutant Dan Lawrence calmed some of England’s nerves and made it to the close, leaving them needing 36 more runs when play resumed early this morning for a 1-0 series lead.
It’s nice to get five and I feel I’ve got better as the game has gone on