Reece showed what Lancs are missing says Makinson

That is the view of his former club skipper and ex-Red Rose fast bowler David Makinson, who watched the 26-year-old’s brilliant unbeaten 97 at the County Ground, in Derby, with a huge sense of pride.

The all-arounder, who spent his formative years playing under Makinson at Leyland, smashed 10 fours and four sixes as Derbyshire made 211-5.

In reply, Lancashire were always struggling to keep up with the run rate and eventually closed on 176-9 – 35 runs behind.

It is Reece’s first season at Derbyshire after his three-year spell at Old Trafford came to an end last summer when he was released.

Interestingly, Reece – who has recovered from being taken ill on the pitch earlier this summer – was primarily used in the longer format of the game at Lancashire and did not feature in too many T20 games.

However, he has played in all of his new county’s 
fixtures this summer in the T20 Blast North Group games and is likely to line up once more this evening at home to Northampton.

“I did enjoy Reece’s innings,” said Makinson. “I managed to watch it on YouTube.

“It was brilliant, he did very well.

“I spoke to him on Wednesday morning and he said he enjoyed it.

“It was a big thing for him to do that – Lancashire never 
really gave him a go in the T20s. He’s definitely suited to playing in them. He’s been brought up playing limited-overs cricket.

“He did well in that form of the game when he played for us and hit a number of unbelievable knocks for Leyland.

“In the longer format you’re a little bit more restricted, whereas in the T20s, you’re expected to play a lot of shots.

“I can’t believe that Lancashire never gave him a go.”

Meanwhile, Makinson 
admits Leyland could do with a sprinkling of Reece’s 
quality in their team at the moment.

The reigning Northern League Division One champions are struggling for form at the minute and have not won for four games.

Last weekend they were on the receiving end of a losing draw against Morecambe.

“At the moment this is probably the worst we have played since 2009,” said Makinson, whose team travel to St Annes tomorrow.

FIXTURES

Northern League Division One: Barrow v Kendal, Blackpool v Penrith, Lancaster v Fleetwood, Morecambe v Chorley, Netherfield v Preston, St Annes v Leyland.