Veteran England spinner Jack Leach wants to win his place back in the Test team as the tour of Pakistan is around the corner. The left-arm spinner said that the conditions in Pakistan will demand more than one spinner and he feels that he is getting back to his best after some injuries as well. However, he hasn’t been selected for the Test squad for the ongoing home summer, with the selectors instead preferring young Shoaib Bashir. He did well for Somerset in the County Championship Division One, taking 26 wickets in six matches at 28.08 as well.
Speaking after delivering a match-winning performance against Durham, Leach said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo: “I totally understand the reason why Bash has been selected. I rate him really highly and think he is already a very good bowler with a lot of promise for the future. We have worked together a lot and I am very proud of him and want to see him flourish. But there is a tour to Pakistan coming up and if England need me, I am more than happy to go. I would imagine they will take more than one spinner and I feel I am getting back to my best after almost a year with niggles that have taken some overcoming.”
“It would be nice if both Shoaib and myself could make the Pakistan tour and there is no reason why that can’t happen. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I am as determined as I ever have been to play for England.” he again added.
However, he also hopes to form a spin-bowling partnership with Bashir in Pakistan. The first-class match between Durham and Somerset saw Leach take an astonishing 12 wickets in the match, including seven in the fourth innings as well.
“In the meantime, I want to do all I can to help Somerset win the Championship. We are all excited at the prospect of facing Surrey at Taunton next as one of three hugely important games. We are still right in the fight for the title, which is where we wanted to be at this stage of the season. I think the pitch against Durham suits our style of cricket. You had to be patient as a bowler, but if you kept putting the ball in the right place you were rewarded,” Jack Leach concluded.
