JAYDEN Leach, the best cricketer in the Upper Loddon Association, has stepped away from the game.
Leach, who won every batting and bowling award available to him last season with Kingower, will instead play lawn bowls with Bridgewater over the summer.
A troublesome lower back has forced the move, with Leach telling the Loddon Herald he hoped to return to cricket after a year’s recuperation.
However, he may not be totally lost to the reigning premiers this season, with a promise to fill in if needed at Kingower, but only with the bat.
Leach, who was club captain, won both the batting and bowling averages for the Upper Loddon Cricket Association last season. He scored 511 runs at 51.1, including a century, and took 32 wickets at a remarkable 8.38 in leading Kingower to the premiership, defeating Wedderburn Band in the grand final at Arnold. “I had an ongoing back injury through last season and I thought I needed to take a year off to let the body heal,” Leach said.
“I told the club last year that if we won the premiership I would leave, and if we didn’t I’d stick around.”
Leach played football this season for Loddon Valley club Calivil. 
“The back wasn’t too bad playing but when I pulled up it was really sore,” he said.
Doctors and physiotherapists have been unable to find any stress fractures in his back, and told him it was his choice whether to play cricket or not. Leach said he expected lawn bowls to be much easier on his back and he was looking forward to his first season on the greens.
Kingower will begin senior pre-season training tonight.
The Upper Loddon season will start on October 4 with a two-day clash between Boort Yando and Arnold Redbacks.
The grand final rematch will be on October 11 when Kingower hosts Wedderburn.