Modewarre lands Vic quick Jake Reed for T20s

MODEWARRE has landed gun Victorian quick Jake Reed as its Geelong Advertiser T20 Cup marquee player for tonight’s second round match against Geelong West.

The 27-year-old, who has played 10 Big Bash League games for the Hobart Hurricanes, will bolster the Warriors’ batting line-up as he continues his comeback from a partial knee reconstruction.

Reed made his return to cricket on Saturday, playing in a T20 for Geelong’s Premier thirds XI, opening the batting where he made one before being run out.

But Reed is still a few weeks away from returning to bowl- ing, having last rolled the arm over in a Sheffield Shield game against NSW in February.

Reed also plans to play the Twenty20 against Thomson on December 12.

“I’ll find out (today) if I’m allowed to have a bowl or not (tonight), but more than likely not — probably not until the 12th, so I’ll look to bowl in that one,” Reed told the Geelong Advertiser.

“I feel like I’ve been ready to go the last two or three weeks, but obviously with the injury history I’ve got and having four surgeries in the last three years, it’s not a great record.

“We’re just going to take our time and make sure the body is 100 per cent, but I’m feeling great. Now it’s just slow and steady and hopefully by the New Year I’ll be back up 100 per cent.”

It was with Modewarre batsman Jake Ibbs that Reed joked about pulling on the blue and maroon in a T20.

Tonight, that becomes a reality for the GCA3 club.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Reed said. “(Ibbs and I) sort of joked about it a couple of months ago and I didn’t think I’d be able to but it’s worked out that I’ll be able to play as a batsman tomorrow night and then hopefully play as a bowler the next game.

“I’ve obviously got a couple of mates there as well — ‘Hosko’ (Jack Hosking), Jake (Ibbs) and ‘Bocca’ (Brendan Wemyss), so I’m looking forward to getting down there and having a hit and giggle with them.”

And with Geelong’s Premier Firsts moving into the top eight, Reed is looking forward to pressing for selection by the break.

“I think I’ll look to probably come back into the ones the last game before Christmas — there’s a two-day game at home, so all things going well and no hiccups from here on in, I should be back playing in two weeks’ time,” he said.