The cricketing world was left impressed with Ben Stokes’ phenomenal unbeaten century that won England the third Test of the ongoing Ashes at Leeds by one wicket. The victory not only helped the hosts to stay alive in the series as they leveled it 1-1 but also muster 24 crucial points in the World Test Championship. Stokes added 76 unbeaten runs with No.11 Jack Leach to take England to victory after they were nine down for 286 in the pursuit of 359.

However, while Stokes claimed most part of the fame with his heroics, Leach was no less important in the mission. He joined Stokes after the fall of Stuart Broad and survived the Australian attack, scoring just one run off 17 balls in an hour but that made all the difference. He was almost run out in an over of Nathan Lyon with England needing just a couple to win but a goof-up by the bowler saw him making it on time. The bespectacled cricketer was seen wiping his glasses frequently with a cloth during the chase and after the epic win, Stokes urged sponsors Specsavers to give Leach free glasses for life which the latter readily agreed to.

Leach a cult hero now

Leach, or ‘Leachy’ as he is fondly called, slammed a 92 in a recent Test match against Ireland at Lord’s that the English side played hard to win, also won a number of fans. He is even called a cult hero now to which he responded, “That’s nice. I don’t know what it is,” Sportstar reported.

One of the few cricketers in world cricket today to play with spectacles other than the likes of Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq, Leach also spoke on his glasses regimen. “I just have to make sure they are clean every time they were facing up because I would really regret it if it had been smudged!” he was quoted as telling the media. “It’s been hot a couple of times. I got out there and they zoomed in on the glasses. Just had to stay calm and do the job at hand. I felt good out there, I was really focused on what I needed to do.”

On him being called a cult hero, the 28-year-old Leach who has played only seven Tests so far after making his debut last year said it is probably because he looks like a village cricketer in glasses and the bald head.