England spinner Jack Leach has been warned that he needs to make some adjustments or else he will not "be in the side for much longer".
In the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Leach picked up match figures of 3-226 and was out bowled by his Kiwi counterpart Michael Bracewell. Bracewell, an inexperienced off-spinner who had only taken 27 wickets at 47.51 in his first-class career before this Test, found more turn and twice as much drift as Leach as he picked up 3-62 in England's first innings.
Former England spinner Phil Tufnell believes Leach needs to change his action in order to generate more drift and become more of a threat. Speaking to BBC Sport, Tufnell said: "He bowled too inconsistently.
"As a spin bowler, you've got to bowl maidens and create pressure." Former England captain Michael Vaughan added: "He's inconsistent for a reason.
"He's inconsistent because he hasn't bowled a great deal in the last two years, he's inconsistent because he's been in and out of the side and he has to be inconsistent with that action." Tufnell then explained: "He doesn't get a lot of drift.
"When I bowled and got drift I bowled from about 1 o'clock which meant the ball drifted into the right-hander and then spun away. Jack, on the other hand, releases it at about 11 maybe 12 o'clock which means it goes straight down the pitch and it's too easy to get back and that means it brings in the short ball.
"It's difficult [to change] because it's like a golfer remodelling his swing, but that's something that he's got to work on. You've got to be able to get drift because that's what does for good players."
And Vaughan believes Leach will have to make those adjustments if he is to remain part of the Test side, adding: "He has to [be able to get drift] if he wants to stay at this level.
"This is a brutal business and if he doesn't change that I don't think he'll be in the side for much longer."
