"I walked out to bat to a standing ovation and everyone had their shoes off, were drinking out of their shoes" - Leach on Old Trafford's atmosphere 

England spinner Jack Leach has spoken about the intense atmosphere in the northern venues of the country such as Leeds and Manchester. The third Ashes Test at Headingley witnessed an incredible crowd as England secured a three-wicket victory to remain alive in the five-match series.

Even in 2019, the venue in Leeds saw a terrific atmosphere as Ben Stokes defied all odds to guide the hosts to a one-wicket win by chasing down a 359-run target. Currently, with the 2023 Ashes series poised at 2-1 in favor of the visitors, the teams will remain in the north as they travel to Manchester to play the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Jack Leach recalled the atmosphere in Manchester after England leveled the series 1-1 with the win in Leeds in 2019.

He said on the Vaughany and Tuffers podcast:

"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."

Suggesting that England should play the entirety of the Ashes series at Headingley, Leach said:

"On 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. We should just play all five at Headingley, shouldn’t we?”

The northern venues of England will not be a feature in the 2027 Ashes as Headingley has been assigned to host the Women's Ashes Test while the Aegas Bowl in Southampton will host its maiden Ashes affair. Leeds and Manchester will make a return in the 2031 Ashes.

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"I realized then how clever he is, which bowler he targets, which boundary" - Jack Leach on batting with Stokes in the 2019 Leeds run chase

Jack Leach became a cult hero in the 2019 Ashes not for his off-bowling skills, but for his famous one-run knock during the third Test at Headingley. He was involved in a famous 76-run last-wicket partnership with Ben Stokes, contributing a solitary run off 17 deliveries.

The spinner spoke about how Stokes operates in such situations and dismissed the common notion that he functions on gut feel and instinct.

“I always thought Stokes was an instinct player, with not much thought. I realized then how clever he is, which bowler he targets, which boundary. He planned for me to face one or two balls an over, and be ready for the two. A lot of tactics and thought involved. Once he’s done that thinking, he faces the ball off instinct," Leach said.

Stating his own role in the partnership, Leach continued:

“He was very calm, and I don’t remember us talking a lot. That was the most focussed I have ever felt on a cricket field. I had to face one or two balls, so every one I faced was an event. Whatever you do, don’t get out."

The fourth Test of the 2023 Ashes series will begin from July 19 onwards. England have retained the same 14-man squad for the upcoming encounter in Manchester.