England star Leach raises large Ashes fears as ECB make controversial choice

England star Jack Leach has complained concerning the absence of any northern-based checks within the 2027 Ashes collection. Leach and his England colleagues will go no additional north than Nottingham in 4 years’ time, prompting some frustration throughout the camp. 

The ECB have snubbed all the northern grounds for the 2027 Ashes, together with the vastly well-liked Old Trafford venue. Old Trafford will host the essential fourth take a look at between England and Australia, which begins on July 19. 

Leach concedes it’s a ‘shame’ that venues in Leeds and Manchester haven’t been thought-about. He believes the northern-based checks give England a bonus as a result of several types of crowds. 

The England bowler stated: “It’s always a great atmosphere there. Old Trafford was the Test after Headingley in 2019. I walked out [to bat] to a standing ovation and everyone had their shoes off, were drinking out of their shoes. 

“Hopefully more of the same [next week]. We tend to like playing up north, those sort of grounds seem to be good for us. The crowd is epic up in those places.”

Asked by the Cricket Club podcast if he would really like England to face Australia in a northern floor, he added: “Yeah, definitely [want to play there]. You want to make the most of your home advantage, don’t you. Those grounds you definitely feel like you have that. 

“You think about going to Australia and the amount of stick I got, we all got, there, and maybe those grounds you feel like the opposition gets it a bit like you get when you go to those places. 

“I think that can actually make a big difference, they talk about the crowd being a 12th man, and those places [Leeds and Manchester] it definitely is. That’s a shame. I don’t know what the reasons are.”

Meanwhile, England are set to snub fanfare for Ben Foakes by sticking with the under-fire Jonny Bairstow. Batsman-wicketkeeper Bairstow endured a troublesome third take a look at, dropping a number of catches earlier than lacking a stumping.