Jack Leach inspired by Graeme Swann in targeting frontline England role

Jack Leach’s winter began with a “horrible” experience at the Gabba but he now feels central to England’s Test plans and wants to further develop a more attacking mindset after watching videos of Graeme Swann in his pomp.

The left-arm spinner heads into the deciding third Test against West Indies, starting on Thursday, fresh from a gruelling workload of 94.5 overs during the drawn second Test at Kensington Oval that returned six of his 11 wickets on tour but in which both he and England were thwarted by Kraigg Brathwaite’s stickability.

Leach’s duel with Brathwaite, in which the West Indies captain spent a combined 15 hours making scores of 160 and 56 not out, featured one belated success, in the first innings, when he spun one past the bat and bowled his man. It was something of a staring contest overall, however, with more than 200 dot balls chalked up and Leach sending down 40 maidens in the match.

It is certainly a far cry from being taken for 102 runs in 13 overs in Brisbane last November and, though the slow surfaces have not offered more scope to run through a side, Leach feels he is learning plenty in the Caribbean.

“I felt horrible [after the Gabba],” he said. “But I trained the next day – [the spin coach] Jeetan Patel made me – and I think I surprised myself with how I deal with lows. Australia was a tough trip but I came back motivated and buzzing.

“ I’m trying to become the frontline spinner for England and I see the last couple of weeks as really valuable for my development on that road. It won’t be too long before I turn those three‑fors into five-fors, especially in the second innings.”

Leach is not sure what more he could have done to prise Brathwaite from his rock sooner in Bridgetown after seeing a