... was born in Taunton in 1991. He made his England debut in New Zealand in March 2018, having been called into the touring squad as a replacement for the injured Mason Crane.
Against Ireland in July 2019 – a match that started just ten days after England's nerve–shattering victory in the World Cup Final – Leach scored 1 not out off eight balls as England scraped together a miserable 85 runs in their first innings. Ireland replied with 207, meaning that England needed 122 in their second innings just to make the visitors bat again.
This all happened before the close of play on Day One, and England came out to bat again with time for just one over before stumps. Leach was asked to face it, opening the batting with Rory Burns.
This was not the first time Leach had opened an innings as night watchman; he had done the same in Sri Lanka in November 2018. On that occasion he was out for one run the following day, having faced 11 deliveries.
Against Ireland he negotiated the first over successfully, and he was still there next day when Burns was dismissed with the score on 26, having scored just 6 runs off 26 balls. Leach and Jason Roy, in his first Test Match, then put on 145 runs for the second wicket, and when the partnership was broken it was Roy that was out. Leach was then joined by Joe Denly, but these two had put on only 11 runs when Leach was out for 92. He'd seen England through to a score of 182 for 3, and was just eight runs short of becoming the first England night–watchman ever to score a century. He was later named as Man of the Match.
Two more wickets fell on 194, and the last five wickets put on a further 109 runs; England were all out for 303, leaving Ireland needing just 182 to win. But in perfect conditions for bowling, the visitors were skittled for 38 – Woakes taking six wickets and Broad four. It was the lowest ever innings score in a Test Match at Lord's, and the seventh lowest in Test Match history. England had avoided what would have been a humiliating defeat, winning by 143 runs.
By now Leach was a cult hero, spectators making good–natured fun of his thick–rimmed glasses, slightly prominent teeth and shaved pate. As the eagerly–awaited Ashes series began he was not selected for the first Test, but he was recalled after Australia won the first Test by a substantial 251 runs.
The second match was drawn, being tantalisingly poised at close of play on the final day with Australia 113 runs short of their target with only four wickets left. England needed to win at least two of the remaining three matches to regain the Ashes, and if they lost any one of them it would mean Australia retaining the famous urn.
England's hopes for the Third Test were boosted by the unfortunate absence of Australia's captain Steve Smith, who had suffered concussion after being struck on the helmet by a delivery from Joffra Archer. Smith had been the thorn in England's side in the first two Tests, scoring a total of 378 runs in three innings – an average of exactly 126.
The match that Smith was forced to sit out has been described as one of the greatest matches in the 142–year history of Test cricket. The first two days were unpromising: Australia were dismissed for only 179 in their first innings, but England could only muster a dismal 67 in reply. Matters improved somewhat as Australia managed a more respectable 246 in their second innings, which meant that England needed an unlikely 359 to win.
The opening exchanges went Australia's way, as both England openers were dismissed with the score on 15. But the two Joes, Root and Denly, put on 126 for the third wicket, and when Denly was out without adding to his hard–fought half–century Ben Stokes came out to join Root with the score on 141 for 3. This pair put on only 18 runs before Root was out for 77, and this brought Johnny Bairstow out to join Stokes. While Stokes continued to play with exemplary discretion, Bairstow took the game to the Australians. It worked for a time, but the wicket–keeper was caught in the slips just after lunch having added 36.
At 245 for 5 England still needed 114 runs to win, and as Jos Buttler joined Stokes out in the middle there was a sense that this partnership was crucial. But it ended just eight runs later as the batsmen got their wires crossed over a quick single and Buttler was run out by a direct hit from Australia's vice–captain, Travis Head.
It began to look as though Stokes would run out of partners. Chris Woakes added just one run, Joffra Archer managed a defiant 15 before holing out at deep midwicket, and Stuart Broad was trapped lbw without scoring. Jack Leach joined Stokes with the score on 286 for 9, and 73 runs still needed for victory.
Up to now, Ben Stokes had played with uncharacteristic caution. But now, with the English backs against a solid brick wall, he switched to one–day mode: playing audacious reverse sweeps, heaving sixes into the crowd, and running hard at every opportunity.
Jack Leach kept him company for a full hour, facing the occasional ball or two at the end of an over. He'd faced a total of 14, and remained on nought, as Stokes scored the runs that put England within two runs of victory.
Leach set off on a suicidal run as Stokes faced Nathan Lyons, but was sent back. He was yards out of his ground when the throw came back to Lyon – but the bowler fumbled, and spectators looked on in disbelief as England's No. 11 was able to scramble back to safety.
The next ball hit Stokes on the pads. The appeal was turned down by the umpire, and Australia had no reviews left – having wasted their second in the previous over. Hawkeye showed the ball smashing into the stumps, but the umpire's decision had to stand.
Leach survived the first two balls of the next over, before scrambling the first and only single of his innings. Ben Stokes came to the striker's end with the scores tied and three balls left in the over.
He needed only one of them – crashing it into the covers for four. England had won a miraculous victory, by one wicket, and the series was level. Ben Stokes was the new Ian Botham, and Leach's innings was described as the greatest one not out in Test Match history.
The Fourth Test at Old Trafford was a sell–out, but it ended in disappointment for England as Australia won by 185 runs – thanks mainly to a magnificent double century in the first innings by their returning captain, Steve Smith.
This meant that England could only tie the series at best, and in order to do so they had to win the Fifth Test, at The Oval. They managed a first innings lead of 69, and when the hosts' second innings ended early on Day 4, Australia were left needing 399 to win. If they managed it, it would be the highest successful run–chase in an Ashes Test since 1948.
When Smith was caught by Stokes at leg slip for 23 – his lowest score of the series, by some margin – Australia were 85 for 4, and still needed 314 runs to win. Smith was replaced by Matthew Wade, playing in only his 27th Test at the age of 31. Wade dug in and took control of the Australian innings, but wickets fell at the other end; and when Wade was stumped off the bowling of Root for 117, the score was 260 for 8 – still 139 short.
Eleven balls later it was all over. With the score on 263, Nathan Lyon was caught by Joe Root off the bowling of Jack Leach; and Josh Hazlewood fell in exactly the same manner, at least in scorecard terms, to the very next ball. England had won by 135 runs.
This meant that the series was drawn – the first Ashes series to end this way for 47 years. This was better news for Australia than it was for England, as it meant they retained the trophy.
The undoubted stars of the series were Steve Smith for Australia and Ben Stokes for England. But the unlikely hero of England's Test Match summer was a slow left–arm bowler who took only twelve wickets in the five matches he played. And the next time he bowls for England in a Test Match, he'll be on a hat–trick!
© Haydn Thompson 2020