Of all the images for which England’s clean sweep clinching series win at Headingley will be remembered, there will perhaps be none as endearing as Jack Leach collecting the man-of-the-match award.
The fledgling weeks of the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era have been characterised by brutally attacking displays with the bat. And yet, it is the left-arm spinner who has in many ways epitomised the new attitude and atmosphere that has been planted within this England side.
Collecting the customary medallion and corporate sponsor’s bottle of sparkling alcohol, Leach must have surely reflected on a remarkable change of fortunes. They have seen him go from misused and marginalised to a seemingly key component of England’s bowling attack.
His post-match interviews portrayed both relief and disbelief by the turnaround. Having started his Test career under the increasingly clouded thinking of a drained Joe Root, the Somerset man is now one of the most obvious beneficiaries of the clear and decisive Stokes.
Left-arm spinners can serve dual purposes of containment and attack but often the traditional narrative of defence and control prevails. Hold up an end whilst the other lads take the wickets. See “Ashley Giles”.
It was appropriate that Leach’s maiden 10-wicket performance came at a ground where he had his most memorable moment to date as a Test cricketer on the last visit in 2019. This came with the bat rather than the ball and thanks in no small part to the man with which he shared that moment.
Whist he spoke with fondness of his last-wicket Ashes partnership with Stokes at Headingley three years ago, Leach had until this week not been able to match that rear-guard batting display with any comparable bowling feats. Before Monday, Leach’s only previous man-of-the-match award in his four-year career had come for another batting performance (narrowly missing out on Lords’ honours board for a 92 against Ireland).
The “greatest 1 not out” in support of Stokes that day in 2019 has garnered Leach a cult fan following, but perhaps not the one he might have hoped for as a left-arm spinner. It turns out that free Specsavers glasses for life – awarded to Leach in a nod to his habitual cleaning of lenses during that remarkable innings – does not equate to success as a Test cricketer.
Leach’s is a career that has so far been both remarkable and unpredictable. His stoic and understated approach is befitting of a man who you would not probably not look twice at if passing in the supermarket aisle.
The man known by his teammates as “the Nut” has also had to fight his own battles on the other side of the boundary ropes. The fact we see him running in to bowl at the highest level is itself remarkable. Diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 14, Leach continues to take immunosuppressant medication and has had to miss matches due to illness.
This unassuming perseverance and uncomplaining attitude is surely what makes him such a popular figure in the England dressing room.
Leach has spoken of his role as a glorified water boy in the test match bubbles of the 2020 Covid summer, which he carried out despite a clearly heightened personal vulnerability to Covid-19. Promising winter tours of Sri Lanka and India and were false dawns to the following summer, where poor Jack was dropped once again. Leach’s next Test match ball would be on a baking hot day 1 Brisbane wicket, when he was thrown into the Gabba like a defenceless slave released into the Gladiatorial combat of the Roman Coliseum.
Having still been set overtly defensive fields mere months ago in the Caribbean, Leach has since had a cricketing rebirth, chuckling in post-match interviews at the point blank refusal of his new captain to send men back the boundary. Like some of his teammates, Leach seems to have finally been given a clearly defined and supported role in this side. The aim of controlled incision with the spinning ball has been taken on with relish by Leach, in the same way Jonny Bairstow has embraced counter-attacking positivity with the bat.
The clarity of thought in how and why Stokes is turning to Leach may finally allow the left-arm spinner to fulfil his potential as a Test match spinner. The Nut’s understated perseverance is finally being recognised by a captain and coach in Stokes and McCullum who are backing him to succeed against any obstacles – something Leach has done throughout his life.
Whilst that legendary 1 not out in 2019 might live longer in England cricketing folklore, Headingley has played host to a far more meaningful performance from the Jack Leach the bowler in 2022.
Mark Cohen
It’s amazing how a spinner responds to being given spells and responsibility. There’s no reason why Leach shouldn’t be as successful as Swann or Tuffers now he’s an integral part of the team. Hopefully it signals the end of us going into test matches with 4 seamers and a Root part timer. Who knows, if Moin is tempted back we might have spin twins for the 1st time in decades. Used to love watching Emburey and Edmunds operating together and Carrick and Cope for Yorkshire. Both with a left armer and off spinner. If Stokes wants entertainment you’re guaranteed much more when spinners are on than seamers as it speeds the game up. Shame Monty never had a proper twin, or he might have been more successful. Like opening bowlers spinners always seem to respond better when there’s a kindred spirit at the other end. All we have to do now is take our close catches.
Not to to mention the extraordinary Laker and Lock
Wot, no East and Acfield?!
Sorry forgot about that pair. Imagine Ray East and Tuffers as a pair.
Jack Leach, the most recent England mens player to have opened both the batting and the bowling in the same test match.
All the best to Leach – he’s been badly mis-handled over the last couple of years and deserves a break. Batsmen captains who play spin well themselves often seem to struggle with spinners as captain. It’s forgotten how badly Steve Smith captained Lyon initially. Lyon’s confidence and form dipped so much he was on the verge of being dropped but got a reprieve because the alternative (the also-forgotten SNJOK) was unavailable.
It makes a massive difference to a spinner and his captain to have runs on the board and confidence in their batting. NZ’s bowling was such a mess England could have been set almost anything and still won.
“I have never been in a dressing room before when we have chased 300 on a pitch that is turning and everyone has been so calm, believing we were going to chase them down. That, after 20 years of playing international cricket, I had never seen before.”
The opposition having left out their main spinner and relying on a bloke in only his second test might have helped…
…who is actually a batter!
(Mind you, that didn’t do Roston Chase any harm!)
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