LEACH SEEKS A HOME RUN

BY RICHARD EDWARDS JACK LEACH has spent most of his Test career in England as a drinks carrier.

But after a tough winter in Australia and the Caribbean, he is hoping to raise a glass to home comforts this summer.

The Somerset man last played a Test on English soil in September 2019, helping to spin England to victory over Australia at The Oval.

Since then, he has been an overseas operative, with 17 of his 22 Tests coming abroad.

Now England’s forgotten man wants to remind his home audience what he is capable of.

“I’ve played a lot more away but as a spinner, I feel like I’m excited to bowl in England,” he said.

“It’s where I’ve played all my cricket and where I really enjoy playing.

“Most bowlers are better when they’re bowling on home pitches.

“I love bowling with the English Dukes ball – it reacts nicely out of the surface and I think I’m a better bowler than I was the last time I played

Test cricket here.

“What was nice in the West Indies was getting a bit of a run and feeling that responsibility in the team.

“If I can get that in England, I feel like I can put in good performances again.

“Hopefully I’ll get that chance.”

Leach has spent the majority of the past two summers as a bystander, watching on as seamheavy England attacks have dominated. His lack of overs has been partly remedied by some epic spells in England’s Test series in the West Indies.

In the first innings of the Second Test in Barbados, Leach (below) bowled a jaw-dropping 69.5 overs.

Across the three matches, he got through nearly 190 – almost double any other bowler.

After his mauling at the hands of Australia’s batters in last winter’s Ashes – Leach took just six wickets at a cost of 53.5 – it was just what the 30-year-old needed.

He does, though, intend to put the lessons he was taught in

Australia to good use.

“It was really nice to have that responsibility in the West Indies – I had probably been craving that amount of bowling,” he said.

“The Ashes was a really tough tour but I came back supermotivated.

“There were some experiences there that you don’t want to ever happen again.

“That was the main thing for me, I’m working a lot smarter.

“I’m really aware of how hard Test cricket is and I think it will be a really positive experience for my career ultimately.

“Although it wasn’t a very nice moment at the time.

“It is true that those horrible moments lead to good stuff eventually – it’s all about how you react.

“It showed me that I have to be better. I did a lot of soul-searching.

“You have to not be afraid to train in difficult circumstances.

“It has led to a bit of a mindset shift.”