POSITIVE SPIN
Leach itching to make up for lost time and put Sri Lanka to the sword... AGAIN
JACK LEACH has happy memories of his last tour to Sri Lanka – but less than cheery recollections of the past 12 months.
The Somerset spinner took 18 wickets as England trounced the hosts 3- 0 back in November 2018.
Alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, England’s bespectacled Ashes hero put Sri Lanka’s batsmen in a tailspin, as their spinners claimed 48 scalps in the series.
Now he’s preparing to head back there, having not played for his country since the second Test of England’s tour to New Zealand back in November 2019.
In between he has been hospitalised with sepsis before spending this summer carrying drinks as a non- playing member of England’s Covid bubble.
“I would be lying if I told you I found it (the bubble) easy,” he says. “I sometimes feel bad saying that because I know I’m obviously lucky to do what I do.
“On the outside it probably does look very glamorous and we’re fully aware as a team of just how tough a time some people have had this year.
“We had it good in some ways and we’re very aware of that.
“I’ve tried to use the experience to push me on further and to improve myself and hopefully I’ve learnt some good lessons having experienced these kind of situations.
“There are ways to switch off from cricket when you’re living
on a cricket ground.
But it’s a challenge. It definitely wasn’t easy.” And that goes double for those players who didn’t got on the field this summer.
Fortunately for Leach, the upcoming tours to Sri Lanka and India offer him the chance to be a central figure in England’s plans once again.
Which is good news for a man who has taken just three first class wickets in 2020. Mind you,
he has only played two matches, which gives you an idea of just how stir crazy he must have been going this summer.
The chance to team up with Moeen and his good mate Dom Bess is another reason why he will be boarding the plane at Heathrow full of optimism at what lies ahead, rather than dwelling on the past.
“It’s quite exciting for me, just the thought of playing some matches,” he said.
“The [2019]Ashes now feels a long time ago. Hopefully, going back to Sri Lanka and working with Moeen and Dom again will be the start of something very good in 2021.”