Peter Trego talks about his Somerset CCC mate Jack Leach on The Darts Show podcast after his Headingley heroics with Ben Stokes
Wednesday 28 August 2019 18:28, UK
Jack Leach deserves maximum respect for his courageous role in England's win-or-bust third Test and hopefully will use it as a springboard for a long and successful Test career, says Peter Trego.
Tailender Leach shared a match-clinching, last-wicket stand of 76 runs with Ben Stokes on Sunday as England kept the Ashes alive with a one-wicket victory over Australia at Headingley.
All-rounder Trego told The Darts Show podcast that his Somerset CCC team-mate Leach - who he nicknames 'the Taunton Lara' in a cheeky homage to West Indian batting legend Brian Lara - showed incredible heart in helping set up a successful game shot for Stokes.
LISTEN TO THE DARTS SHOW PODCAST HERE
"The attitude inside the Trego house was 'if England don't win this, please don't be Leachy to get out' because knowing the lad, he would take that so hard," Trego said.
"It's just amazing for Leachy to be the guy at the other end; facing two 90mph-plus bowlers, considering his history as well, because it wasn't so long ago that he had a concussion injury.
"Every player who has had a knock to the head will know that it does knock your confidence a little bit. So to then do what he did in a Test match shows an enormous amount of bravery, an enormous amount of character.
"He is such a good bloke; he is one of those guys that everyone will wish him well, and hopefully this will spur him on to many, many good performances for England - probably more with the ball."
Trego, 38, has enjoyed a long and successful county career since making his first-class debut in 2000 during which time he has maintained his interest in darts, first fostered by watching his Dad - a county champion - step up to the oche.
While he has taken on Dave Chisnall in an exhibition match, Trego says that few things he's experienced quite compare to the pressure a batsman feels trying to get his side across the line.
"Chasing runs in cricket is one of the most highly-pressurised situations you can be in," he added.
"I've obviously never played for England in an Ashes Test but even in county cricket those last 50, 40, 30, 20 runs mean you are so under the pump.
"I've chalked off a game match against Warwickshire with the last man and honestly my beans were all over the place.
"So what Leachy and Stokesy managed to do that day [was fantastic] to be honest; when you factor in the amount of pressure - obviously, one wicket and the game has gone - and then the way that he started dispatching the bowlers into the stands, [they must have], literally, balls of steel.
"People will talk about the sixes and the maverick behaviour but the intelligence that Stokesy showed to manufacture himself at the right end at the right time really was something phenomenal.
"Every one of England's batsmen had been struggling with that attack and Ben was picking and choosing when to hit them for singles, sixes and fours. That takes a level of skill that only the very, very elite players can do. What he did was truly remarkable."
LISTEN TO THE DARTS SHOW PODCAST HERE for more from Trego, including:
- Why England's victory at Headingley is not only great for cricket in the UK but transcends all sports
- What Leachy is really like as a man - on and off the pitch - and what makes him so popular
- Which track he'd pick as his darts 'walk-on' song and what his darts nickname is
- Plus, hear Mervyn King discuss his season so far and catch up with the World Series action in Australia and New Zealand
Watch day one of the fourth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports The Ashes and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Wednesday, September 4, with over-by-over commentary and in-play clips on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
It's not long to wait until darts is back on Sky Sports, the World Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday, October 6 at Dublin's Citywest Arena and seven days of coverage continues until the final on Saturday, October 12.
