It Sure Helps To Have Someone To Lean On

Guy Williams explains the effect that having a famous sporting father has on young Yorkshire batsman Jack Leaning

- Guy Williams

Considering his family’s pedigree in professional sport, Jack Leaning’s father, Andy – a goalkeeper in the Football League for 15 years – has the perfect background to establish a long-term successful career.

Jack, the Yorkshire middle-order batsman named The Cricket Writers’ Club Young Player of the Year in 2015, learnt from his father (282 apps for York City, Sheffield United, Bristol City, Lincoln City and Chesterfield between 1985-2000) just how quickly fortunes can change in sport.

After one Championship game in 2013, Leaning’s runs began to make an impact the following season (465 in 10 games) as Yorkshire went on to win the Championship. The year 2015 was even more productive – 922 runs with three hundreds at an average of 40 – with Leaning playing a major role as Yorkshire retained the Championship title.

Since then, though, life at the crease hasn’t been as comfortable or as successful. With only nine games played and only 233 Championship runs scored at 17.92, 2016 was a struggle, and while last summer showed a limited improvement – 454 runs, including 118 at Old Trafford and 70 against Essex and 85 against Middlesex in August and September – such a modest return was a poor reflection of the 24-year-old’s undoubted potential and ability.