Premier Cricket: Luke Wells blitzes a record 290 for Casey South Melbourne
English batsman Luke Wells gave a dominant display against the Greenvale Kangaroos, hitting Casey South Melbourne’s highest ever score. But he fell agonisingly short of a triple century.
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His Gray Nicholls bat in hand, Luke Wells went scaling the peaks of run scoring in Victorian Premier Cricket.
The Casey South Melbourne opener and Sussex County player cracked 290 against Greenvale Kangaroos at Casey Fields on Saturday, elevating eyebrows around the competition.
It was the highest score in the Swans’ long history and the highest in District/Premier Cricket since Bill Lawry’s famous innings of 282 not out for Northcote in the 1964-65 grand final.
As the Swans stacked up 5-470, their third-highest total, Wells went agonisingly close to a triple century.
Only five have been scored in the competition, the last by Warwick Armstrong in 1903-04.
Wells assumed Armstrong’s club record of 270, made in 1899-1900.
The 29-year-old, in his second season with the Swans, faced 275 deliveries and put away 14 sixes and 33 fours. He was finally caught at deep long-off.
It was his third century of the season and boosted his aggregate to 746 runs at 74.6.
The left-hander lashed the bowling in the last hour as the hapless visitors were put on the rack. Wells sped from 218 to 290 in 22 balls.
“Ten runs. Well, frustrating,’’ he said in reference to the triple century.
“As I got close to it, I thought I’d rein it in again, because at that point I was just seeing how many sixes I could hit, to be honest.
“But I couldn’t slow myself down, and I ended up getting caught at long-off because I didn’t fully commit to the shot. I timed it really well and it travelled all the way to long off, whereas if I’d kept going I probably would have whacked it over the top for six.
“There you go. It’s hard to come back down the gears when you’re in fifth, sixth gear, just trying to hit every ball. It’s hard to come back down to fourth, third gear and knock it around again. The adrenaline’s going and you just want to whack every ball.’’
It was Wells’ highest score in cricket, topping his 258 for Sussex in County ranks.
He gave two difficult chances, both after he’d reached his century.
Casey South Melbourne officials and players raved about the innings.
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“It was actually a privilege to watch it. It was a masterclass in driving and hitting the spinners over the top,’’ Swans coach Brian Keogh said.
“From the first ball he looked so settled. He was something like two off 25 balls, which was unusual for him, but his head was really still, he was in a good frame of mind, he was leaving balls, all the right stuff.
“Then he sort of went through the gears. Some of his straight drives were just amazing … he went from 120 to 160 in the blink of an eye and before you knew it he brought up his 200. Then he just went bang. Every ball was going for either four or six. His fours were just rocketing to the fence and his sixes were really big hits.’’
Swans fast bowler Nathan Lambden said Wells batted “ridiculously’’ well. Fellow paceman Jackson Fry said his captain’s straight driving was “unbelievable’’.
Wells was pleased that Lachie Sperling, in his 100th match, made 59 not out, off 56 balls.
The consistent Nathan Frietag hit 59.
The match resumed on Sunday and the Kangaroos held out for a draw, reaching 8-333 off 96 overs.