Luis Reece hits memorable century in defeat for Derbyshire

Derbyshire's Royal London One-Day Cup campaign ended with a record-breaking defeat but the final game against Worcestershire was a memorable one for Luis Reece.
Luis Reece batting against Durham.Luis Reece batting against Durham.
Luis Reece batting against Durham.

Derbyshire's Royal London One-Day Cup campaign ended with a record-breaking defeat but the final game against Worcestershire was a memorable one for Luis Reece.

It was in the 50-overs competition last May that Reece suffered a broken foot in the match against Yorkshire that ruled him out until the end of the season.

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After coming close to his first century in List A cricket with 88 against Nottinghamshire two weeks ago, Reece made 128 on Monday in a second-wicket stand of 222 runs with Wayne Madsen, a county record against Worcestershire.

It was eclipsed by Riki Wessels’ 47-ball hundred, the second fastest against Derbyshire in any format, but Reece and his team-mates could still look back on some notable performances in the tournament.

"It's probably been a tournament of near misses for me and the side really," Reece said.

“I've felt good in the middle without kicking on but luckily enough I was able to do that and had the best seat in the house watching Wayne play.

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"It's disappointing to finish on a loss but the boys have played some good cricket throughout the tournament and hopefully we can carry some of the skills we've picked up in this into the T20 when it comes around."

Madsen's 113 was his second century in a week, his sixth in List A games and took him past 3,000 runs in the format, the first Derbyshire player to reach the milestone for 14 years.

It included several ramped sixes off fast bowlers over the wicketkeeper, a shot which has become a Madsen trademark, and one that his captain Billy Godleman believes he plays as well as anyone in the game.

"Although we are used to this from Mads, I think it's important not to gloss over just how good an innings that was," Godleman said.

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"Riki Wessels played unbelievably but Mads wasn't that far behind him and some of those shots over the wicketkeeper and the third man region were remarkable.

"There are not many people in world cricket with the skills to do that and I think the context of the ball he plays those shots to is really important.

"In the middle overs particularly a big tall fast bowler who is bowling between 80 and 90 miles an hour is trying to hit the wicket hard without any width which is a difficult ball to get a run from let alone a boundary, but Mads is consistently able to score boundaries off that ball which is a hell of a skill."

Godleman himself made three hundreds in the North Group games at an average of above 74 but he was happy to see Reece celebrate his maiden 50-overs century.

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"I'm really pleased for Reecey, he's played well in 50-overs cricket over the last couple of years without really going on and making a big score which everyone knows he's capable of.

"So to see him bat 35 plus overs and strike the ball the way he did and play the role that supported Mads was great because no one works harder at their game."