Jack Leach was born in Taunton and has played for Somerset County Cricket Club for his entire career.
The spinner has played in the Ashes, taken a ten-wicket haul against New Zealand and produced arguably the greatest one-not-out of all time at Headingley to help England win an Ashes test.
But when it comes to club cricket, it has only been Somerset.
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The 34-year-old spoke about growing up in Taunton and his earliest memories in Somerset.
He said: "I think a lot of them are here (Cooper Associates County Ground).
"My dad brought me to watch Somerset at two weeks old. A lot of my childhood memories are down here watching Somerset and playing on the outfield at lunch break.
"Also at Taunton Deane Cricket Club in Vivary Park, so a lot of those are from my childhood.
"Most things did revolve around cricket.”
Leach said that during school, he did play other sports, such as football and tennis, but cricket was always the one that he took more seriously than the others.
He recalled thinking about making it as a professional cricketer.
"I remember under 13’s we were playing and Jos Butler, who’s my friend, played in the same age group said to me ‘I really want to get in the Somerset academy’ and I was like ‘What’s that?’ and he told me and I was like ‘oh I want to be on that as well’ so that was one thing, and I think under 15’s West of England at Bunbury Festival I was selected for the England under 15s off the back of that, and then that’s what got me to the Somerset academy.
"Those experiences were when I started thinking that maybe this could be something more serious.”
Leach was born in Somerset, and has stayed in the county throughout his life.
When asked why he chose to say, he said that he 'wouldn't want to be anywhere else'.
"My family and friends are here, I went to school here, so it feels like home.
"It is home. Being able to progress and become a professional cricketer here, it’s always been a nice place.
"It feels like home to me, and I think that’s the biggest thing. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
He added: “I went to uni in Cardiff for three years, where off the academy I didn’t get a contract, and I had some summer contacts so I’d come back here, but during the year I was at university, because I didn’t know if I was going to make it professionally.
"So I went away and got a degree and played cricket alongside it, so then I think that was the one time that I spent a long time away from home, but I think it was always about wanting to come back.”
Leach also spoke about what he does in his time away from cricket, which is usually centred around his family and coffee.
He said: "It usually revolves around coffee shops or breakfast spots.
"We love White Post café, out past Wellington.
"That would be one that we like to get to in the summer and in the winter, to be fair.
"It’s a lovely garden area and good food and coffee, so that’s what we like to do. Spend time with family, dog walks, all of those things really.”
Leach has gone from sitting in the stands dreaming of playing for Somerset to playing professionally in front of thousands.
He said that the Somerset squad recognise the influence that they have on the younger generation.
“I am aware, it feels weird that it would be the case, but it’s very nice to have and also a responsibility to give kids that time and understand that they’re at a point that I was at a long time ago.
"To try and positively influence them and that actually what we’re doing out there gets kids dreaming about what they want to do, whether it be cricket or something else.
"It is cool to have that influence and important that we live up to that and take responsibility for that and use it in a positive way.”
Leach recently signed a new deal, keeping him in Somerset until 2028.
The 34-year-old said that it was an easy decision to make.
“As I mentioned before, there was nowhere else I wanted to be, and I feel very passionate about the club and the people in it, and I want to contribute what I can, whilst I can.
"I feel like we’re in a good place and want to see what we can achieve.”
Somerset are once again going for the elusive County Championship this year.
Leach spoke about the club's aims for 2026.
"The County Championship is the one we all want, so we’ll be doing everything we can to get there, that is the one I think.
"We’ve done really well in the T20s over a long period of time, and hopefully it’s a format that we’ll continue to be strong in, but you don’t want to neglect any of the formats just to go for the County Championship.
"We take every competition seriously, and any silverware at the club means a lot to everyone, and the fans are great at supporting all of the formats."
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