Is Jack Leach England's Top Spinner According to Nathan Lyon?

Sydney, July 31 (NationPress) Australia’s leading off-spinner Nathan Lyon has expressed his support for Jack Leach as the top spinner for England, despite the emerging talent of Shoaib Bashir, who is currently out with an injury and is anticipated to return for the 2025-26 Ashes series.

At a Cricket Australia sponsorship event on Thursday, Lyon mentioned that former England fast bowler James Anderson informed him that Bashir was selected to mimic Lyon’s achievements in Australian conditions. Nevertheless, Lyon firmly believes that Leach is still England’s best spin choice.

“I played alongside Jimmy Anderson last year at Lancashire, and they mentioned that they are picking Bashir to replicate what I do,” Lyon stated. “I take pride in Jimmy’s recognition of my career accomplishments. Bashir has shown promise, but in my perspective, Jack Leach remains their premier spinner.”

The 34-year-old Leach has not played for England since their tour of Pakistan last year, where he had a less impressive series compared to Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, who were pivotal in Pakistan’s victories in the last two Tests. Despite this, Leach’s record of 16 wickets at an average of 31.43 and a strike rate of 50.75 over three matches surpasses Bashir’s nine wickets at an average of 49.55 and a strike rate of 79.44.

Since then, England has relied on Bashir as their main spinner in their past three series against New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and India. However, following Bashir’s finger injury during the Lord’s Test against India, Liam Dawson was recalled for the fourth Test in Manchester, marking his return after eight years.

Dawson has since been omitted for the fifth and final Test at The Oval, as England has decided to field four fast bowlers, with Jacob Bethell taking on the role of a part-time left-arm spin option.

Leach recently achieved impressive figures of 6 for 63 in his last outing for Somerset against Durham at Taunton, a match noted by Ian Botham for its “appalling” pitch conditions. This season, Leach is currently the fourth-highest wicket-taker and the leading spinner in Division One of the County Championship, boasting 39 wickets at an average of 24.76, which includes two six-wicket hauls.

During the 2021–22 Ashes tour, Leach participated in three Tests in Australia, claiming only six wickets at an average of 53.50. He was left out of the final Test in Hobart, where England opted for four seam bowlers in a pink-ball match that concluded in just three days with a victory for the home side.

Meanwhile, Bashir was part of the England Lions squad that toured Australia earlier this year, participating in three four-day matches against the Cricket Australia XI and Australia A. These matches were not played at official Test venues. He recorded match figures of 2 for 91 and 1 for 109 in two games against the CA XI in Brisbane.

In the unofficial Test against Australia A at Cricket Central in Sydney, where the Lions suffered an innings defeat, Bashir took 1 for 74 in the only innings he bowled.

Interestingly, Lyon was excluded from Australia’s latest Test against the West Indies in Jamaica, as selectors opted for four pace bowlers in a pink-ball match that finished in just two and a half days. Despite recent Australian pitches favoring seam bowlers, Lyon asserts that spinners will continue to hold an essential role in future Ashes series on home soil.

“It is a crucial role, and it presents a significant challenge for those unfamiliar with these conditions,” Lyon remarked. “However, I won’t disclose my strategies to ensure they perform effectively here. Our players know how to handle spin well in this country, which has contributed to honing my skills. I am committed to continual improvement, and I look forward to seeing how their spinners perform,” he concluded.