| Joe Leach | |
| Country: | England |
| Fullname: | Joseph Leach |
| Birth Date: | 30 October 1990 |
| Birth Place: | Stafford, Staffordshire, England |
| Heightft: | 6 |
| Heightinch: | 1 |
| Family: | Steve Leach (brother) |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Bowling: | Right-arm medium-fast |
| Club1: | Leeds/Bradford MCCU |
| Year1: | 2011–2012 |
| Club2: | Worcestershire |
| Clubnumber2: | 23 |
| Type1: | First-class |
| Debutdate1: | 31 March |
| Debutyear1: | 2012 |
| Debutfor1: | Leeds/Bradford MCCU |
| Debutagainst1: | Surrey |
| Lastdate1: | 26 September |
| Lastyear1: | 2024 |
| Lastfor1: | Worcestershire |
| Lastagainst1: | Lancashire |
| Type2: | List A |
| Debutdate2: | 27 April |
| Debutyear2: | 2012 |
| Debutfor2: | Worcestershire |
| Debutagainst2: | Lancashire |
| Lastdate2: | 27 August |
| Lastyear2: | 2023 |
| Lastfor2: | Worcestershire |
| Lastagainst2: | Hamphsire |
| Columns: | 3 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 139 |
| Runs1: | 3,990 |
| Bat Avg1: | 22.93 |
| 100S/50S1: | 2/23 |
| Top Score1: | 114 |
| Deliveries1: | 23,516 |
| Wickets1: | 477 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 26.91 |
| Fivefor1: | 18 |
| Tenfor1: | 1 |
| Best Bowling1: | 6/44 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 32/– |
| Column2: | LA |
| Matches2: | 59 |
| Runs2: | 903 |
| Bat Avg2: | 28.21 |
| 100S/50S2: | 0/3 |
| Top Score2: | 88 |
| Deliveries2: | 2,589 |
| Wickets2: | 57 |
| Bowl Avg2: | 43.87 |
| Fivefor2: | 0 |
| Tenfor2: | 0 |
| Best Bowling2: | 4/30 |
| Catches/Stumpings2: | 21/– |
| Column3: | T20 |
| Matches3: | 54 |
| Runs3: | 261 |
| Bat Avg3: | 10.44 |
| 100S/50S3: | 0/0 |
| Top Score3: | 24 |
| Deliveries3: | 849 |
| Wickets3: | 52 |
| Bowl Avg3: | 26.05 |
| Fivefor3: | 1 |
| Tenfor3: | 0 |
| Best Bowling3: | 5/33 |
| Catches/Stumpings3: | 10/– |
| Date: | 30 September |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/355092.html EPSNcricinfo |
Joseph Leach (born 30 October 1990) is a former English cricketer who played for Worcestershire.[1] Leach was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium. He was born in Stafford, Staffordshire, and was educated at Shrewsbury School.[2]
Leach made his debut for Staffordshire against Buckinghamshire in the 2008 Minor Counties Championship. The following season he made a further appearance in that competition for the county, against Northumberland at Osborne Avenue, Jesmond.[3] He also made a single appearance in the MCCA Knockout Trophy in 2009 against Suffolk.[4] Leach joined Shropshire in 2010, making his debut for the county in the MCCA Knockout Trophy against Cumberland.
While studying French and Philosophy at the University of Leeds,[5] Leach made his first appearance for Leeds/Bradford MCCU in 2011.[6] The England and Wales Cricket Board conferred first-class status on Leeds/Bradford MCCU in 2012, with Leach making his first-class debut against Surrey at The Oval. In Surrey's first-innings of 385 all out, Leach took figures of 4/78 from thirteen overs, the best bowling figures of the innings. In Leeds/Bradford MCCU's first-innings response, Leach was dismissed for a duck by Tom Jewell. In their second-innings, he recorded his maiden first-class half century with a score of exactly 50, before being dismissed by Tim Linley. Leeds/Bradford MCCU narrowly lost the match by 2 runs.
Leach played grade cricket in ACT for North Canberra Gungahlin Cricket Club during 2016–2017 season.
He developed into a key member of Worcestershire's squad, becoming a first-team regular in 2015. In 2016 he was appointed county captain.[7]
In July 2024, Leach announced he would retire from professional cricket at the end of that year's English county season.[8] He ended his final season as Worcestershire's joint leading County Championship wicket-taker alongside Nathan Smith and Tom Taylor.[9]