Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach signs new contract
Wednesday 26 August 2015 16:12, UK
Worcestershire all-rounder Joe Leach has signed a new three-year contract with the county.
The 24-year-old had one year remaining on his present deal but will now remain at New Road until the end of the 2018 season.
Leach has taken 52 first-class wickets at an average of 28.30 this season and scored 477 runs at an average of 36.69.
He also made the headlines earlier this month when he took a hat-trick with the first three balls of the innings in the Royal London One-Day Cup game against Northants.
Leach is the fourth player to commit his future to Worcestershire in recent weeks, following Ross Whiteley, Joe Clarke and Ed Barnard.
He told his club's official website: "I'm really pleased. It's nice to follow the likes of Clarkey and Ross and Ed and commit my future to the club.
"It feels like a club going in the right direction. Bumpy (Steve Rhodes) is obviously keen to get a group of us together he has identified to take the club forward.
"He has put a lot of faith in us and now it is up to us to repay him.
"We've all stuck together and the fact we've all committed with new contracts says a lot about the club and a lot about the belief of the lads in the club and where it is going.
"This season has gone better than I expected. I'm having the sort of season that dreams are made of."
Director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "I'm really delighted that Joe has signed. We've got some nice momentum with people signing and Joe as a player, as all of them are really, is a player we value highly. That's the reason we want to keep him at Worcestershire.
"His form this season has been remarkable and so exciting to know he can play well in all formats and all disciplines.
"He is a very valuable member of the group, has got a good attitude, is a good character and has leadership qualities.
"He is the right type of person that we want him at Worcestershire and that's exactly the reasons why we wanted to extend his contract."
