Jack Leach is ruled OUT of England’s Ashes team after he suffered a stress fracture in his back

Jack Leach has been ruled out of this summer’s Ashes with England after suffering a stress fracture in his back during the win over Ireland.

The Somerset spinner was named in an unchanged 16-man squad for the first two Tests when it was confirmed on Saturday lunchtime.

The 31-year-old developed symptoms during the Test at Lord’s this weekend, and a scan has confirmed that the injury will keep him absent from the team this summer. A replacement is due to be announced imminently.

Since Ben Stokes became England captain, Leach has played in all 13 of England’s Tests, but they will have to find a way without him for the Ashes series, which begins at Edgbaston on June 16.

England beat Ireland by 10 wickets on Saturday, after the visitors posted a respectable 362 in London to avoid an innings defeat which looked inevitable after England’s declaration.

Jack Leach will miss this summer’s Ashes Tests with England with a stress fracture in his back

The spinner picked up the injury on Saturday during England’s Test win over Ireland at Lord’s

Leach got four wickets across both innings in the victory, but will play no part against Australia following the stress fracture in his back, which forced him to miss the latter stages of Saturday’s win.

The 31-year-old will be difficult for England to replace. Rehan Ahmed was the last spinner other than Leach to play an England Test match, facing Pakistan with Leach in December, becoming England’s youngest Test debutant in the process at the age of 18. 

Rehan Ahmed was the last spinner other than Leach to play an England Test match last year

Leach has had to overcome a series of health and injury issues in his England career, including Crohn’s disease, and gastroenteritis – which developed into sepsis – while in New Zealand in 2019. Additionally last summer, concussion forced him out of a Test. 

Joe Root has insisted that he is ‘ready’ for the Ashes series, despite playing just three games during his IPL spell, batting just once.

Meanwhile, Australian opener David Warner has said that an all-out attack is required from the visitors if they are to handle Stuart Broad in the series, which takes place across three Tests in June and July. 

Following the first test at Edgbaston, play will also take place at Lord’s, Headingley and Old Trafford ahead of the fifth test at The Oval from July 27-31.