September 2019 brought a County Championship win for Somerset without their talisman Craig Overton, a rarity in recent memory. Fast forward to August 2026, and Somerset, again missing Overton, have produced another vital victory, driven by Jack Leach’s experience and nerve.
Leach’s masterclass echoes through Taunton
Somerset’s pursuit of an elusive first County Championship title has long been marked by heartbreak and near-misses. At Taunton, Jack Leach delivered the sort of performance that can change a season. The 35-year-old left-arm spinner took five wickets for 81 runs from a marathon 55.2 overs, his relentless accuracy breaking Essex’s resistance on the final day.
His match figures of nine wickets for 118 told the story of a decisive shift. Essex resumed at 314 for 3, harbouring hopes of an improbable comeback, but Leach quickly took control. Charlie Allison and Matt Critchley had taken their partnership from 127 for 3 to 339, with Allison reaching 105 overnight and Critchley providing resolute support. Then came the breakthrough: Critchley edged, Tom Abell juggled at second slip before completing the catch, and Essex lost their key man for 94.
Leach pressed home the advantage.
Allison’s 254-ball innings ended on 114, with James Rew’s sharp glovework tightening Somerset’s grip. Leach then worked through the lower order on a wearing final-day surface as Essex, who had begun the morning with genuine hope, were dismissed for 412.
Somerset’s pursuit: nerves, relief, and a historic charge
A target of 102 was modest, but every run carried weight at Taunton. Tom Lammonby, unbeaten on 39, and Josh Thomas, who made a fluent 31, guided Somerset home in 19.2 overs. By 3.45pm, the contest was over.
The 22 points leave Somerset just two behind Division One leaders Nottinghamshire. Leach, whose 39 Test caps have made him a household name, has placed himself at the centre of a campaign with a first County Championship title firmly in sight.
Craig Overton was away for the birth of his daughter, while captain Lewis Gregory bowled despite a bruised hip, albeit only briefly. Allison and Critchley’s stand threatened to turn the match Essex’s way, but Leach’s spell restored Somerset’s control through disciplined bowling, sharp fielding and sustained pressure.
The contest also underlined the tactical demands of a tightening title race, from knowing when to attack to reading the rhythm of a match as the pitch changes. Debates over the balance between gambling and finance and cricket’s shifting value between early and late innings sit far from Leach’s immediate task, but Somerset’s victory was built on the enduring county-cricket currency of patience, pressure and a match-winning spell.
Somerset’s next fixtures will determine whether Leach’s display becomes the defining performance of a title-winning campaign.
