Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury stint got Joe Leach back on track

Worcestershire club captain Joe Leach enjoyed three prolific seasons with the ball which brought him 193 Championship wickets between 2015-2017.

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Now after an 11-month absence through injury, the 28-year-old is fit and back in action after recovering from a stress fracture of the back.

Leach played the first game of his comeback two months ago purely as a batsman against Essex during the pre-season trip to Abu Dhabi.

After a succession of games for Shrewsbury in the Birmingham League and Worcestershire Seconds, Leach returned in Worcestershire’s five-wicket win over Durham in the Specsavers County Championship this week.

“I’ve worked really hard on my rehab and we’ve been pretty meticulous and ultra-professional in making sure we ticked every box,” said Leach, who claimed six wickets as the Pears moved top of Division Two.

“You tick off little milestones like the first club game and your first second team match but there is nothing quite like when you get back into the first team and being around the group.

“It does make you realise how much you miss it.”