ENGLAND praised the emergence of Jack Leach today as they searched for crumbs of comfort after their winter of woe ended in one final disappointment.

Coach Trevor Bayliss and captain Joe Root were both impressed by the left-arm spinner on his debut against New Zealand in the drawn Christchurch Test which confirmed a second series defeat to add to their 4-0 Ashes trouncing.

Bayliss identifies Leach as the man in possession not just for next winter’s tours of spin-friendly Sri Lanka and West Indies but at home to Pakistan and India this summer too.