Jack Leach out of the Ashes with lower back stress fracture

The England left-arm spinner will miss all five Test against Australia after a scan on Sunday (June 4) revealed the injury. A replacement will be announced in due course

England will be without left-arm spinner Jack Leach for the duration of the Ashes after he was ruled out with a stress fracture in his lower back.

The 31-year-old developed symptoms during the 10-wicket win over Ireland at Lord's and underwent a scan on Sunday (June 4).

And results from the assessment have ended Leach's hopes of being involved in the series, which begins at Edgbaston on June 16.

An announcement regarding a replacement will be made in due course.

^{Leach took four wickets in the victory over Ireland but his summer has been cruelly cut short (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)}

It extends an England injury list which already includes seamers Jofra Archer and Olly Stone, while there are concerns around the durability of Ben Stokes whose knee issues continue.

The news is a cruel blow for Leach, a long-time sufferer of Crohn's disease which leaves him with a weak immune system, whose international career has been blighted by a series of issues with illness.

Leach was due to play a leading role in England's attempts to regain the Ashes on home soil, having been ever-present under the Brendon McCullum-Stokes axis since they took over last summer.

In 35 Tests, the Somerset tweaker has taken 124 wickets at 34.18.

Furthermore, he has become a cult hero in the eyes of England supporters. That status was enhanced with his 17-ball rearguard against Australia in 2019, alongside Stokes' match-winning 135 not out, in the dramatic run-chase at Headingley.

^{Rehan Ahmed became England men's youngest Test cricketer in Pakistan (ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)}

A selection predicament faces Stokes and McCullum over who will operate as the leading spinner this summer.

Leicestershire teenage Rehan Ahmed became England men's youngest Test cricketer in Pakistan but has played just 10 first-class matches.

That tour also included Will Jacks of Surrey and Lancashire's Liam Livingstone, but neither have played a Test on home shores.

Alternatively, Joe Root could be deployed as a front-line spinner, allowing England to add another batter to their already explosive batting line-up.

The Ashes hosts unveiled their squad for the first two Tests on Sunday, an otherwise unchanged group from the victory over Ireland.

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