Progress report: Luis Reece

Lancashire’s Luis Reece has taken Western Australia by storm this winter and is currently the leading wicket-taker in the WADCC Alcohol.Think Again First Grade Cricket Competition.

Reece is playing grade-level cricket for Gosnells in a semi-professional competition below first-class Australian cricket and, despite being renowned for his abilities with the bat, the 24-year-old has taken 56 wickets in 14 matches, 14 more than any other bowler in the league.

His formidable tally received a significant boost in Gosnells recent win over Wanneroo Districts CC to go sixth in the league, when Reece claimed figures of 7-47 and 7-61 respectively.

Match figures of 14 wickets for 108 runs inspired Gosnells to a six-wicket victory in round 14 of the campaign and Reece also made a telling contribution with the bat as he scored 51 in Gosnells first innings.

Reece’s first-innings figures of 7-47 helped reduce Wanneroo to 99 all out and, although he claimed another seven wickets in the second innings, they managed a more respectable total of 218.

Reece said: "I’ve gone to the Sunshine State a couple of times, so I understand that going to a new club that you’re going to be nervous. Everyone at Gosnells has treated me quite well and I’ve fitted in nicely.

“The wickets are completely different. Over here it has its little challenges. The ball’s different, you know you've just got to get used to conditions of playing in the heat."

Reece and his Lancashire teammates struggled to contribute regular performances with the bat last season and the left-handed opener managed only 262 runs in 17 innings as Lancashire were relegated. This was disappointing for Reece, who had received praise for his form in 2013 after scoring 722 runs at an average of 55.54 in Division Two. 

Reece scored a mere 262 runs last season after an outstanding breakthrough season in 2013

Somerset-born Reece had previously claimed seven wickets in an innings before Gosnells match against Wanneroo. The first of these came against Subiaco Floreat where he claimed 7-47.

However, his most impressive figures to date were claimed against Bayswater Morley, as Reece returned figure of 7-29 as Gosnells won the match by an innings.

The Lancashire all-rounder gave his best performance with the bat in the sixth round where he scored 113 and his half-century against Wanneroo was his highest score since then.

Reece added his intentions to represent Lancashire in more than just the four-day game in 2015 and hopes that he can give performances worthy of the international suggestions which cropped-up after his superb breakthrough season.

He said:"Hopefully I can play all forms back home in the County stuff, if you put in some consistent performances you never know. I still have international goals, which I want to realise, I’ve got to be consistent and turn in the big performances."

Reece’s stats for Gosnells so far…

Round 1 - Willeton - 37*, 2-13,

Round 2 - Midland-Guildford - 33, 1-19,

Round 3 - Joondalup - 11, 3-28

Round 4 – South Perth - 1, 1-50

Round 5 – Perth CC - 3, 0-68

Round 6 – Scarborough – 113, 3-40 & 1-13

Round 7 – Rockingham-Mandurah – 29, 1-39 & 0-33

Round 8 – Mount Lawley District CC  - 44, 4-30 & 0-34

Round 9 - Claremont-Nedlands – 6, 1-32

Round 10 – Fremantle – 38, 3-17

Round 11 – Melville – 17, 2-26

Round 12 – Subiaco Floreat CC – 3 & 6, 3-20 & 7-47

Round 13 – Bayswater Morley – 30, 7-29 & 3-28

Round 14 – Wanneroo Districts – 51 & 0*, 7-47 & 7-61

Luis Reece - current averages…

Batting: 422 runs @ 30.14

Bowling: 56 wickets @ 12.04