Tim Curtis

Joe Leach stands four square and strong at the end of his mark. He is of yeoman stock. It is easy to imagine him, like Seamus Heaney’s farming father, “His shoulders globed like a sail full strung”.

Like Heaney’s ploughman father, Joe is an “expert” in a traditional skill, the art of the moving ball. I would have hated to have faced him. Nightmare. My game, like many openers, was all about knowing where my off stump was and leaving as much as I could. Joe makes that very difficult. His natural angle draws you into playing whilst his ability to swing and seam the ball from that immaculate length just leaves you guessing and hoping: play, leave, in, out?

In an era which celebrates speed, it is easy to overlook those whose skills are honed with craft and dedication. His performances for Worcestershire over many years bear testimony to this skill and durability.

I would love to have seen him bat higher and make the most of his undoubted ability there, but that’s the greedy batsman in me coming out.

I think Joe found that it was the subtle yet demanding skills of seam bowling which gave him real satisfaction and there is no arguing with the fact that he has been hugely successful for Worcestershire over many years, as player and captain, and thoroughly deserving of this testimonial.