ENG vs NZ: England spinner Leach ruled out of Test

• England spinner Jack Leach removed from the first Test against New Zealand.
• The 30-year-old suffered a hard fall while pursuing a ball to the boundary.
• Matt Parkinson of Lancashire has been called up as a replacement.

After experiencing symptoms of concussion, England spinner Jack Leach has been removed from the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s.

In the sixth over of the first day, the 30-year-old suffered a hard fall while pursuing a ball to the boundary.

Matt Parkinson of Lancashire has been called up as a replacement and will make his Test debut.

The 25-year-old will fly in from Manchester later on Thursday to play in the encounter.

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Parkinson is England’s first concussion substitute in Test cricket, having played five one-day internationals and four Twenty20s.

On Wednesday night, he was representing Lancashire in the T20 Blast.

Leach, a slow left-armer, was making his first appearance in a home Test since 2019.

He chased an edge from Devon Conway off Stuart Broad’s bowling to the third man boundary while fielding at point.

Leach fell awkwardly while preventing the ball from reaching the rope and was treated by both teams’ medical staff.

After being checked, he was diagnosed with concussion symptoms and promptly departed the field.

Leach will now undertake a “graduated return to play” over a minimum of seven days, putting his availability for the second Test at Trent Bridge, which begins on Friday, in doubt.

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The Somerset bowler has had previous concussions, including one when he fainted at home and hit his head on a sink, and another when he was whacked on the head while batting by former South African pace bowler Morne Morkel.

In 2019, the International Cricket Council approved the use of concussion replacements.

After Steve Smith was struck by England speed bowler Jofra Archer, Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne became the first concussion substitution, also at Lord’s, in the same year.

England had to replace Leach with another frontline spinner because replacements must be like-for-like.