Jack Shantry

I’m delighted to have been asked to write a few words about Joe for his richly deserved Testimonial Year.

Our first game together for Worcestershire was back in 2008 in the Second XI. We struck up a friendship fairly quickly, and shared a flat together soon afterwards. Though he is Staffordshire-born, he attended Shrewsbury School, a stone’s throw away from my own school, and we both represented Shrewsbury Cricket Club. I was immediately struck by his commitment and hunger to succeed, as well as his insight and keen cricketing brain.

It has been a pleasure watching Joe’s career develop from close quarters. We each of us had obstacles to overcome, though Joe’s were as difficult as I can remember for a teammate. From being told early on by a coach that he was just another archetypal English dibbly-dobbler, to getting subjected to morale breaking gym and diet regimens. I’ve never felt more sympathy for my fellow man than watching Leachy grimly eat handfuls of spinach fried in coconut oil after a morning of running around Malvern with the strength and conditioning coach on his shoulders.

Joe was an excellent team man, he would be the first person to provide some gallows humour when times were difficult, and would also be there with a drink to celebrate the winning moments. It was my pleasure to play a part in his storied career. I remember many of his best performances, from his first first-class century at Cheltenham against Gloucestershire, to his hattrick with the first three balls of the match against Northamptonshire. He developed in a relatively short period of time from a dangerous first-change bowler who could leak boundaries, to one of the best opening bowlers in the country season after season.

Our friendship has endured through testing times. He has a fairly low threshold for sweating, anything over ten degrees Celsius will usually do it, and so when we discovered one season that the inside of our woolen sweaters were the best material for shining the ball, I had no hesitation in enforcing Joe to wear his sweater at mid-off all year. I admit to a little Schadenfreude watching his sweat-laden forehead and rosy cheeks as I walked back to my mark that year, but as a testament to his team-first ethos he continued to wear it throughout. Indeed, that season led to some good-natured joshing in the creation of a new nickname for Leachy; Silver Spoon Sweaty Belly, or triple S-B for short. As a recipient of some unfortunate nicknames myself over the years, I had thought his would be one of the least generous of spirit to be bestowed upon him, until his son William started calling him Rubble on account of his likeness to the Paw Patrol character.

We would also have each other’s back off the pitch. One season Joe received some unfair criticism from one particular journalist. That season was Joe’s breakthrough year and he performed brilliantly, scoring runs and taking wickets in almost every game he played. At the PCA awards ceremony at the end of the season we spotted the journalist, and so I convinced Joe, along with his good friend James Taylor, to confront the journalist and see if he had changed his mind. Unfortunately, we were all so mild-mannered that the journalist in question later described the moment as a ‘drive-by tutting’.

I most enjoyed our times bowling together when we formed a close bond and effective seam bowling trio with Charlie Morris, and I’m sure it will give Leachy pride that he will be the last member of the group standing. I’m not surprised that Joe outlasted me, for my back was held together by a combination of blu-tac and hope towards the end, but how his body has gone on longer than Charlie’s, a man with a washboard stomach and an off-the-pitch lifestyle that would make an SAS officer look like a lazy slob, is anyone’s guess.

I vividly remember my feelings of respect and admiration for Alan Richardson when I was a young seamer at the club, and how I formed habits and a way of conducting myself from watching him on and off the pitch. As Joe nears Alan’s wicket-taking milestone, I have no doubt that young players at the club will view Joe the same way, and I can think of no higher compliment to pay him.

A man of courage, insight, dedication and ambition. Anyone who paid close attention to Joe as a young man should not be surprised by his success, now or in the future. Congratulations Joe, I wish you a thoroughly enjoyable Testimonial year.