Jack Leach happy to take frontline role for England in West Indies after ‘horrible’ Ashes tour

Three months on from a “horrible” Ashes experience in Brisbane, a leading role in the West Indies has finally allowed Jack Leach to feel at home in the England side.

Leach’s fingerprints, and specifically his finger-spin, have been all over the two drawn Tests in Antigua and Barbados.

He is the top wicket-taker in a batting-friendly series with 11, four clear of the chasing pack and six ahead of opposite number Veerasammy Permaul, and is even further clear in terms of workload.

At the Kensington Oval last week he sent down a remarkable 94.5 overs – the most by an Englishman in a single match since Tony Lock in 1962.

And while he has not been able to bowl the team to victory on a pair of lifeless surfaces – a third chance awaits on a better looking pitch in Grenada from Thursday – his role has visibly grown.

In Australia he was used more sparingly across three games, starting at the Gabba where he was smashed around for 102 in 13 wicketless overs. The shadow of that onslaught lingered over the rest of his involvement, and cost him a place on a turning track in Adelaide, but the 30-year-old has come through the experience with a clearer mind.

“I felt horrible after Brisbane, yeah. Not a good moment,” he said.

“But sometimes the worst thing you can do is just sit in your room and stew about it. I trained the next day after the game – let’s do something about it, that’s normally the best thing. I’ve surprised myself with how I’ve dealt with the lows.

“Australia was a really tough trip for everyone but I did feel like I learned a lot and I came back really motivated and buzzing. I want to reach my ceiling as a cricketer, basically, and put everything into that. Then I can rest easy that I’ve given it everything.”

Leach