Luke William Peter Wells, a talented cricket player hailing from England, has earned himself the reputation of being the most sledged cricketer in the country. Born in Eastbourne, Wells comes from a cricketing family, with his father, Alan, having played a Test match for England, and his uncle, Colin, also having represented Sussex for numerous years. Both his father and uncle were known for their ability to score double centuries, a trait that Wells has clearly inherited.
Wells first caught the attention of Sussex in 2009 and was subsequently offered a three-year summer contract which coincided with the end of his studies at Loughborough University in 2012. From an early age, Wells showcased his capacity for long innings, evident when he scored an impressive 174 against Yorkshire at Hove in 2011. Although he began his career as an opener, Sussex eventually shifted him down to number three, a position he hopes will only be temporary.
In 2013, Wells produced the most prolific Championship innings of his early career, scoring his first double century. His innings of 208 came against Surrey, much to the opposition’s dismay, as his stickability on a benign pitch frustrated them immensely. Wells’ resilience was on full display as he resisted for almost nine hours, facing 412 balls across two days. In doing so, he surpassed a long-standing record, removing Ranji from the records by scoring the highest individual innings by a Sussex player at The Oval. However, Wells remained unsatisfied, stating that he couldn’t carry on from there.
Despite being touted as a potential candidate for the England Performance Programme squad, Wells has yet to make the weight of runs required to earn the call-up. His style of play, focused on patient and long innings, has limited his opportunities in limited-overs cricket. Wells has come close to achieving the target of 1,000 first-class runs in a season, falling just 18 runs short in 2014. However, his one-day opportunities have remained scant.
In 2017, Wells made headlines once again. After an eight-month absence due to a knee injury, he bounced back in style. Although he was yorked by Kagiso Rabada in the first innings, Wells scored an impressive 258 in the second innings against Kent, showcasing his rare belligerence by taking 34 runs off a single over of offspin from Ryan Pringle. During the same season, he also had the privilege of captaining the Sussex team in place of the regular skipper, Ben Brown, and celebrated the honor with a century against Durham at The Riverside, coinciding with the anniversary of his father’s final game as Sussex captain.
However, the following years proved to be relatively lean for Wells, as his performances in the Championship saw his average hover around 25. While he has yet to make a breakthrough at the international level, Wells remains a stalwart for Sussex, continuing to showcase his ability to bat for long periods and frustrate the opposition.
Overall, Luke Wells’ cricketing journey has been marked by gritty determination, an obdurate nature, and an ability to stick around when others falter. Despite the sledging he has faced throughout his career, Wells uses it as motivation to work harder and prove his doubters wrong, embodying the true spirit of a cricketer. With his talent and determination, there is no doubt that Wells will continue to make his mark on the game and contribute to the success of Sussex and English cricket in the years to come.
