Premier Cricket: Fast bowler Jake Reed moves from Geelong to Footscray

One of the leading fast bowlers in Premier Cricket is on the move after several seasons with Geelong.

Jake Reed is a massive addition for Footscray. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Fiery speedster Jake Reed has found a new home in Premier Cricket.

The 28-year-old Victorian state squad member has crossed to Footscray after several seasons at Geelong.

Reed, who has made seven appearances at first-class level, will add much-needed pace to the Dogs’ fast bowling battery and is a proven wicket-taker with the new ball.

“Clearly the last couple of years the list has gone through a little bit of a transition, especially from a pace bowling perspective,” Footscray coach Allan Wise said.

“A frontline bowler has been on the radar, but they don’t grow on trees.

“We’ve got some good young kids we’re developing, but when Jake’s around — and we know he is still a contracted Victorian player and has got a lot of higher-level cricket in him – he’ll be someone to provide that point of difference and complement to the rest of our bowling group.

“He’s a high-calibre bowler. He’d been at Geelong for a number of years and felt it was time to play closer to where he was living.”

Jake Reed in full flight for Geelong. Picture: Stephen Harman

Wise stressed Reed loved his time at Geelong, which finished runner-up last summer, but the lure of playing closer to his home in St Kilda proved attractive.

Wise ended his Premier career in 2016-17 as the leading wicket-taker in Monash Tigers history with 541 at 18.17 apiece and has plenty of knowledge to pass on to Wise.

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The star recruit will also be a good mentor for Footscray’s pace bowlers.

With the likes of Hamish Winter-Irving, Lucas Dredge, Jordan Buckingham, Jonah Koch and youngsters Ben Rosenboom and Matthew Watt, the Dogs are not short on options.

“You’ve got to build a stable,” Wise said.

“It’s always nice to have more quicks ready to go.”

In another boost for Footscray, Australian representative James Muirhead is set to take the field in 2019-20 after not playing last season.

The 25-year-old leg-spinner shot to prominence when he played five Twenty20 internationals for Australia in 2014, collecting six wickets at 18.16 apiece.

James Muirhead in action for Australia. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Muirhead claimed three wickets from six First XI appearances for St Kilda in 2017-18 and was a member of the Saints’ Second XI premiership side.

“He’s fresh and ready to go,” Wise said.

Former Monash captain Dan Sartori has also put pen to paper with the Dogs.

Footscray scored the third-most runs in the competition during the home-and-away rounds, yet finished above only Greenvale Kangaroos and Kingston Hawthorn.

“There’s a lot of good young players there,” Wise said.

“Especially with the bat last year, the guys had a pretty good year.

“We’re still finalising our list and you never shut the door, but we’d like to be focusing on bringing in some young players through from the western suburbs, the outer west and the central highlands areas.”