SIX-WICKET hero Charlie Morris welcomed the return of ‘massive asset’ Joe Leach to the Worcestershire side and said the Pears skipper deserved any success which comes his way after the relentless amount of work put in to regain fitness.
Morris ended with 6-53 from 19 overs on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Durham at Blackfinch New Road – the best figures by a Worcestershire bowler in the fixture.
It surpassed the 6-68 by Matt Mason on the same ground in 2003 and followed on from Morris’s career best 7-45 in the season’s opening fixture away to Leicestershire.
But Morris was equally delighted with the impact of Leach – 3-59 from 19 overs – in his first match back after 11 months out with a stress fracture of the back.
Morris said: “It was good to see Joe Leach out there. He just can’t stop taking wickets. He’s had a great couple of weeks in league cricket and for the Seconds.
“With Joe, look at his stats. They speak for themselves and he’s such a massive asset to our bowling attack.
“It’s great to have him back and as a bowler to be able to speak to him at mid-off about stuff is fantastic.
“He has put in a huge shift, an awful amount of work this past year, and he has been in the gym here working incredibly hard and he deserves all the success he gets coming back.”
On his own and Worcestershire’s performance, Morris said: “I’m really happy. You can bowl well some days and not get wickets and you can have days when you pick a few up.
“I’ve just been really fortunate the last couple of games to get some (wickets) and I’m just really happy to be doing a job for the team.
“I’ve just tried to take what I’ve been doing in white ball cricket into here, certainly up top, and the rest will hopefully take care of itself.
“I’m just putting in the hard work and enjoying my cricket and it’s just great to be playing. I’m loving it.”
Morris added: “In all honesty three years ago I dreamed of days like this, where I would be able to get out there and take a five-for.
“You’ve just got to keep moving forward and we are incredibly lucky to be doing this job. I can swing the ball now, and I’ve learnt a few different skill sets.
“I’m over the moon. I’m sure there will be days when I have 0-50 but it’s just great to take some wickets.”