Yorkshire head coach happy with Leech progress

Head coach Gibson watched fast bowler Leech trouble Durham’s top order with the new ball before returning after lunch to claim two wickets in two balls, including captain Scott Borthwick.

The 21-year-old finished with figures of 3-12 from nine overs as Durham replied to Yorkshire’s 221-6 declared with 177-10 declared.

Leech has played only three first-class matches so far.

He debuted against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 and played in the Roses Championship match at Headingley last July, when he suffered a dislocated kneecap.

Thankfully, the Middlesbrough-born youngster’s recovery from that injury went swimmingly and he is on course for more regular first-team cricket in 2022 under Gibson, who has worked closely with him since taking over at the start of March.

“Dom has done brilliantly,” said Gibson. “I’m really pleased for him and proud of him as well.

“Obviously I’ve come into this role with a background in bowling coaching, and I’ve looked at him and said, ‘Let’s tweak this a little bit’.

“He’s had some problems with his run-up - at Weetwood before we went to Dubai and then again out there, where I think he bowled 16 no balls in the first game.

“So to see where he was then to where he is now, bowling no no balls in this game, is really pleasing.

“He bowled beautifully today and has picked up a yard of pace. He’s also got good control. I’m really pleased for him.

“He is trending very nicely at the moment, and if he continues this way, I can see him playing a lot of cricket.

“There are things we have worked on, and he’s picked up on those quite quickly. As a coach, you want to reward that sort of progression.”

Leech had opener Michael Jones and tail-ender Matty Potts lbw either side of Borthwick caught behind.

“My aim has been to get better with each session and game we have, from the marquee at Weetwood to Dubai, last week at Bradford and here, and I’m happy with how things are going,” said Leech.

“To come back from Dubai and get some wickets in last week’s intra-squad match and again here has been perfect really.”

On the technical work done over the last month, he said: “My run-up is quite long, and we’ve been working on pacing it better - not one pace from the start, but almost like a plane taking off.

“A plane doesn’t take off in the hangar, it cruises across the runway before the maximum effort at the end. That’s what I’m trying to do.

“I was really happy with today. I felt I started well and came back in my second spell after lunch and put the pressure on their tail.”

The former England Under-19s seamer has four first-class wickets to his name so far.

“It’s been a case of me coming in for one game here and there and then I’ve missed out, whether it’s through other lads coming back or injury like the one which happened last year,” he continued.

“I’ve played a lot of second-team cricket and done pretty well. So hopefully I can get a run and show that I can play at this level.

“Every time you come into the first team, you want to stay in.

“It’s just about getting that bit of luck, a few wickets and the coach fancies you for the next game. Hopefully that comes.

“If not, I’ll just go back to the second team, work hard and wait for my chance.”

On last year’s injury, which saw him collide with the concrete base of the Western Terrace while trying to field a ball on the boundary, he admitted: “It was scary at first.

“When I first did it, I was expecting the absolute worst.

“I heard the crack in my knee, and so many thoughts went through my head - ACL, broken leg, those kind of things.

“But I got really lucky and was back playing after six weeks. That was a real credit to the physios looking after me then.

“The first two weeks back out there, I wasn’t that confident in running in and letting it go. There was a bit of stiffness after bowling. But the more you do it, the more you trust in your body and forget about it.”