Dom Bess hopeful of clinging on to England place despite Jack Leach return

The Somerset pair will vie for one berth for the third Test in Port Elizabeth as the series reaches a critical point

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England spinner Dom Bess is hopeful of keeping his place for the third Test against South Africa despite Jack Leach returning to full fitness.

Leach missed the first two Tests through illness but is expected to be available to face The Proteas at Port Elizabeth next week.

After opting to go with a full seam attack at Centurion, Bess was handed his first Test start for more than 18 months in Cape Town.

Match figures of 2-119 from 60 overs may not reflect his best work, as England completed victory by 189 runs, but the Somerset youngster played a key role in holding up an end in both innings.

Whether that display will be enough to retain his place in the side remains to be seen but Bess would not object to seeing his county teammate replace him in the XI.

"I've got to focus on next week at PE [and] whether I play or not," he said. "I completely understand if Leachy plays, but hopefully I've put myself in a position to play.

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The 22-year-old added on his Cape Town display: "It was all about trying to build up sustained pressure, and I think especially in the first innings that was key.

"I could be a little bit more attacking in the second dig, but even then there wasn't a huge amount on offer from the straight. It was about putting the ball in the right place, and I got a couple of balls to bounce and take the inside edge and create chances.

"Some days they go to hand and some days they don't, but as long as I keep putting the ball in a good area and create chances then that is going to happen. When you've got guys like Stokesy at the other end and Jimmy and Broady then it is phenomenal - I'm happy bowling at one end, not picking up wickets and letting the boys do it at the other end. It is unbelievable to be a part of."

The year-and-a-half which had passed between Bess' England Test outings was far from tranquil.

Since the second Test against Pakistan in June 2018, he has managed just 16 outings in the County Championship, four of them for Yorkshire during the first of two loan spells at Headingley.

Leach has meanwhile firmly installed himself as the No.1 spinner at Somerset, severely affecting Bess' opportunities.

^{Dom Bess and Jack Leach are competing for one place in Port Elizabeth}

Last term was more fruitful, with 11 first-class outings yielding 26 wickets at 26.19 - helped in part by Leach's own international commitments.

Despite Matt Parkinson having been named among the initial touring group, Bess was called up first as cover for the ill Leach and then included in the Cape Town team as his direct replacement - just deserts for his perseverance over recent months.

"It has been a hell of a ride," he added. "I played the Test matches in 2018 and did alright, but then fell off the radar a little bit, and within myself, I lost a lot of confidence within my game.

"Over the last two years, I've just been gradually building that backup and became a lot more realistic about things.

"I'm only 22 so I've got time on my side, but to get that luck to be here and to take that opportunity is just amazing, and I guess it sums up cricket really.

"It just goes to show that all I have to do is knuckle down, work hard, which I have been doing over the last four or five months, working on my action, and then when you get an opportunity like this you can put it into place and see if it can withstand the pressure."

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