England’s gutsy call to drop Moeen Ali for Jack Leach for the second Ashes Test was spot on given Australia’s struggles against left arm spinners.
Ali was the leading Test wicket-taker worldwide in the 12 months prior to the Ashes. But England made a tough choice based on the off spinner’s continued failures against Australia, having taken just 15 wickets at 78 in his past ten Ashes matches.
He looks set to be replaced in England’s starting XI by Leach, a left-arm finger spinner who has made a good start to his Test career and owns an excellent first-class record.
Leach seems to have been picked, in part, to target Australian superstar Steve Smith, who incredibly has made six tons in his past ten Test innings against England.
A lot has been made of Smith’s lesser potency against left-arm orthodox tweakers. Yet that is in fact reflective of a wider issue for Australia, who have been troubled by left-arm finger spinners far more than off-spinners since the 2015 Ashes.
In that time, specialist off-spinners have laboured against Australia, taking 79 wickets at 40. By comparison, specialist left-arm finger spinners have been very successful versus the Aussies, grabbing 106 wickets at 25.
India’s Ravi Jadeja was the most recent left armer to flourish against Australia, taking seven wickets at 28 in his two Tests last Australian summer and building pressure with his sensational economy rate of 2.24 runs an over.
Jadeja was also the bowler of the series when Australia toured India in 2017, hoarding 25 wickets at 18.
Meanwhile, in South Africa last year, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was the Proteas’ second-highest wicket-taker for the series, taking 17 wickets from four Tests.
Maharaj categorically outbowled star Australian offie Nathan Lyon in that series and challenged all of the Aussie batsmen, including Smith.
Left-arm finger spin dismissed Smith in three of his six innings in that series, with even part-timer Dean Elgar getting him once.
Six months prior to that Australia’s batting line-up struggled against Bangladesh left-arm spinners Shakib al Hasan and Taijul Islam. Together that pair took 18 wickets at 25 in the two-Test series, regularly making key breakthroughs.
A year previous to that it was left-arm orthodox spinner Rangana Herath who ran riot against the Aussies in Sri Lanka, taking 28 wickets at 12 from three Tests.
Of course, none of this guarantees success for Leach.
(ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images)
The 28-year-old remains an inexperienced international cricketer, with just five Tests to his name. He has taken well to Test cricket so far, though, with 20 wickets at 26, and was particularly impressive on turning pitches in Sri Lanka late last year.
England may regret not having played him ahead of Ali at Edgbaston, where Lyon ran amok on a dry pitch while his fellow off-spinner floundered. Ali’s inability to maintain a testing line and length in that Test was a major hindrance for the home side.
Accuracy, meanwhile, is Leach’s greatest strength. He is not a big turner of the ball and doesn’t get his deliveries to leap off the pitch like Lyon. But Leach does have fine control, which combined with subtle variations in pace, flight and angle make him difficult to get after.
With express quick Jofra Archer coming into their attack for the second Test, England boast plenty of strikepower with the ball.
First and foremost they will want control out of their spinner, something Ali has never been able to provide them in Ashes Tests.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Match fixing is not new in Sri Lanka. That is why any recent result from there should not be counted!
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Match-fixing? That's a new one lol You can not seriously be trying to justify success against Sri Lanka with match-fixing, really? Does that mean every single match against Pakistan ever should be caveated due to their history with spot-fixing? Every single match against Australia due to their history with ball-tampering? I'm done lmao Imagine claiming form against a country is due to match-fixing, I'm honestly at a loss
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Citing form against Sri Lanka ... in Sri Lanka? Now that is funny. You should probably google Sri Lanka and match fixing? Leach's form has been so good that he couldn't keep Moeen Ali out of the side. At least he turns it the right way I suppose! Sheesh.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Did you watch him against Sri Lanka? I sure did. He looked every bit the Test match player. Easily the best pure spinner England have at their disposal. 3 overs can't change that.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
So you agree that Leach is not being picked on form then? PS: I watched that test and all Leach did was make runs when sent in as night watchman (albeit to open). He also does not look to be test standard.
U
Roar Rookie
Okeefe has to live with a what if career. His behavior cost him at least 10 tests so far. Holland isn’t in the same league as him though. 30 wickets at 29 is what Okeefe has to live with.
U
Roar Rookie
It was a seamers test. Look at the scores and wickets taken by the fast bowlers.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Yes - 0/26 from 3 overs for Leach at Lords ... hardly impressive. 3 overs from a total of 57.2 overs bowled in the First Innings .. also not overly convincing. Given that England was not inclined to bowl a spinner on that lively Lord's pitch (Ali also bowled 4 overs in that match/innings and got the last wicket), what makes us think that they will want to bowl Leach on a Lords pitch that is touted to favour the quicks again? False hope for mine but a draw seems likely given the rain forecast.
Peter Warrington
Guest
we went at 3.5 an over in the first dig after recovering from 2-17; and 4.3 in the second, Khawaja igniting it early a much faster strike rate then the snaily 17-18 all that with Warner failing to get away i think they just played the ball on its merits, and could sense when it was time to counterattack e.g. head in the first dig.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Not sure I'd be banking so heavily on the weather people getting it absolutely right Pierro. You've gotta play Lyon haven't you? Just in case we get more play than predicted and the pitch gets a decent amount of wear and tear.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Some damning numbers there Ronan. I remember Herath just about beating us on his own and Jadeja saving India but didn't realise the problem was quite that bad. Is it just the right handers or are the lefties struggling too? We all saw Englands left handers struggle against Lyon but I wouldn't expect them to do it as tough against O'Keefe. Are our guys any different.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
O'Keefe was essentially carted after one mediocre series and had his books marked forever for disciplinary reasons. Holland is basically his like-for-like replacement. Leach is at the peak of his career and really has no left-arm orthodox competition in England at the moment. Leach also bowled 3 overs against Ireland. He didn't take any wickets because he didn't get the chance. He didn't need to.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
I think you hit the nail on the head Ali had to be dropped because he's been poor, the next best spinner is Leach and he just so happens to be a left-arm spinner.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
The answer is take lyon out bring labauchagne in but only because its a 3.5 day test match . Batsmen are all vulnerable on a green lateral moving deck especially wade and warner given their tenchiques or style. That said Langer has just declared another flat deck. Unbelievable . Still if its only 3.5 days you could go four quicks . tricky assessment as there will be over 1.5 days play lost to rain according to radars. Not sure it will spin much if its damp and overcast
matth
Roar Guru
They’d be more likely to keep Kyon but bring Marsh in, no idea who for though. Bancroft is the only vulnerable batsman.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
I can't see O'Keefe in the Australian side or even the Ashes Squad so that does not seem to be a great comparison if Leach is touted as a match winner! Leach also did not take a wicket in the match against Ireland at Lords?
matth
Roar Guru
No slight on Leach at all, just the opposite. I’m saying they need to show him some respect and take the singles rather than trying to belt him.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
with day 1 looking like a wash out and more rain delays I doubt it. Australia should go in for four seamers . A risk but not really if theres 3 days play in total.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
With Day 1 looking like a washout and rain on three of the four days about , this may be the test not to play a spinner? Particularly if a team takes the sunnier day on thursday to bat first. Its a risk but four seamers may actually be worth a crack here or play laubauschange for more batting. Its purely down to the weather but the smart play may be to go without lyon if its a 3 to 3.5 day test match. Get starc in there with three other seamers and laubauchange. Pretty sure its a deluge all day wednesday be lucky to get 30 overs let alone any play . Just not sure spinners will be needed especially if the wicket is a green one.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
hmm... Is it easier to get away with that sort of sleight when you log in as a Guest? Even if you disagree with posters, poor form Ben IMO and poorer form from this website if it allows such a comment to remain up.