"You've got to be pleased for Jack Leach after everything's the lad's gone through" - Nasser Hussain
Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes left-arm spinner Jack Leach fully deserves the 10-wicket haul he took in the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley. Hussain also credited Ben Stokes for setting up brilliant fields for his lead spinner.
Leach, who took his maiden fifer in the first innings of the Test, added five more to his account in the second to restrict England's target for a win to 296. The 31-year-old dismissed Trent Boult for his tenth wicket of the Test and became only the second England spinner to take ten wickets at the venue since Derek Underwood.
| @jackleach1991
A top class performance ๐ ๐ด
Watch his wickets: ms.spr.ly/6018bqUyg
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ #ENGvNZ ๐ณ๐ฟ | @jackleach1991 https://t.co/sHwjPixmJ1
In his column for the Daily Mail, Hussain reflected on what the veteran has gone through, especially regarding his health issues and lack of assistance from English pitches. The 54-year-old observed that Leach has made the most of what the surface has offered, stating:
"You've got to be pleased for Jack Leach after everything's the lad's gone through - be it bubble life, Crohn's disease, Covid or concussion. English pitches have not generally helped him and he hasn't been bowling much.
"Now, he gets a surface that has offered him something, and the pressure on him to deliver. And deliver he has, in spectacular fashion - only the second England spinner to take 10 wickets in a Test at Headingley since Derek Underwood, 50 years ago."
The 96-Test veteran believes it was notable of Stokes to bring Leach into the attack in the first hour of the Test as spinners don't often bowl so early in England. Hence, Hussain feels that confidence shown by Stokes in Leach seems to have worked wonders for the Somerset spinner.
"For me, the key moment was the first hour of this Headingley Test, when Ben Stokes threw Leach the ball. You don't see many spinners bowling that early in Test matches up here, but the confidence that must have instilled in him has proved crucial. Not only that, but Stokes has set brilliant fields for his spinner."
Leach played the first Test of the summer. However, he suffered a concussion while fielding even before bowling. He recovered to play in the second Test but took only three scalps and went for a considerable amount of runs.
Nasser Hussain believes Jack Leach enjoys playing under Ben Stokes
Hussain recalled how Shane Warne loved playing under captains who understood spin bowling and felt Leach would be thinking the same about Stokes. The cricketer-turned-commentator added:
"Shane Warne always used to say how much he enjoyed playing under captains who understood spin bowling, like Allan Border and Mark Taylor. Leach may now be saying the same about Stokes."
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ณ๐ฟ STUMPS | England are 183/2
๐ Pope 81*
๐ Root 55*
Unbelievable start to the chase ๐
#ENGvNZ
England reached 183-2 at the close of play on day 4, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root scoring fifties. They need 113 runs on the final day for a 3-0 sweep.