Specsavers have made good on Ben Stokes’ request to grant Jack Leach free glasses for life after his role in England’s jaw-dropping third-test Ashes victory at Headingley.
England kept their chances of regaining the Ashes alive on Sunday as they chased down 359 to beat Australia by a single wicket in one of the best Test matches in Ashes history, quite possibly the best ever.
Australia looked all set to retain the famous urn when James Pattinson dismissed Stuart Broad and number eleven batsman Jack Leach walked out to the crease at 286-9.
However, defying all odds, Leach hung in alongside Stokes, despite facing deliveries of 90mph from Australian fast-bowler Pat Cummins, and the pair produced a 76-run partnership (Leach only scored one of those runs) to carry England to a remarkable and famous victory over their old rivals.
Photos of Leach polishing his glasses picked up a lot of attention on social media and after his match-winning heroics, Stokes tweeted Specsavers saying:
“Jack Leach........@Specsavers do yourself a favour and give him free glasses for life @jackleach1991.”
With nine thousand retweets and fifty-six thousand likes on that tweet within an hour, it didn’t take long for the opticians, who also sponsor the Man of the Match award during this year’s Ashes series, to respond.
"We can confirm we will offer Jack Leach free glasses for life," they replied.
Ben Stokes, of course, took most of the plaudits but without Jack Leach he would have been all out batting partners and the series would have been all but over.
Now, with two Tests remaining and with England and Australia both on one win apiece, the Ashes have been blown wide open again. The momentum might be with the English now but with the return of Steve Smith to the Australian side for the next Test, we could be in for yet another thriller.
