David Lovell - let your bat do the talking
Willetton District Cricket Club | April 07, 2023
David Lovell made his first grade debut for Southern Districts during the 1985/86 cricket season as a 16 year old.
An opening batsman who bowled left arm orthodox David has had an interesting journey in the game. With a U.K passport David grew up in Western Australia and played State under age cricket for Western Australia before setting is heart on playing first class cricket in England.
He travelled extensively from Perth to the U.K each season and played two one day games for the Wales Minor Counties team. He lived in the U.K for many years and is now back in Perth and enjoying playing Veterans cricket
Let’s find out more about David’s journey in the game
What year you were born?
Adelaide 16/02/1969
Can you remember you first game of cricket?
Year one primary school when I was 6. Got 2 wickets and 3 runs
Tell us briefly about your cricketing journey?
1981/82 first club Roleystone Karragullen Cricket Club (RKCC) Under 12s Mr Woodley was our coach, played 6th grade for RKCC in a couple of games when they were short
1982/83 at 13 opened the batting for the A-Grade team at RKCC for the first game of season against Byford (they were short) scored 4
1982/83 went to West Perth Cricket club (WPCC) for district cricket U-14 and U-16 teams our home ground was the WACA, so I trained and played there four years before we moved to Willeton and played for Southern Districts CC, now Willeton Districts
1983/84 season played 3rd and 4th grade for WPCC
1984/85 season played second grade WPCC
Played in the State U-16 cricket 1985 carnival in Canberra for WA
1985 selected in Western Australian Institute of sport cricket Squad (U-23)
1985/86 16 yr old made A-Grade Debut for Southern Districts CC against Scarborough CC. Scored 4, was dropped twice and caught and bowled by Peter Henderson (Scarborough Legend RIP) in the same over. Got the nickname of Pup from Dave Goddard (36yr old) and it stuck as I was the youngest player for next few seasons.
1986/87 State U-19’s carnival Adelaide.
1989/90 Claremont Nedlands CC grand final winners, 50 not out in the final
1991/92 WA Colts second XI game against Australian Institute of Sport. 119 runs first innings and 75 runs second innings
1991/92 selected in the WA Sheffield Shield team and said no, as it invalidated my 4 year English qualification period.
1992/93 Captain Coach of North Perth CC (NPCC)
1993/94 knee operations (right knee) played South Perth Suburban CC
1994/95 Knee trouble stop playing
1995/96 Comeback with Claremont Nedlands CC (CNCC)
1988, 89, 90 UK seasons overseas professional Batley CC Div. one (Central Yorkshire League) Scored 1000 runs every season
1991 UK season overseas player Bankfoot CC Division One Bradford League. Scored the most runs in the history of the Division one Bradford league (1155 runs)
1991 September agreed a playing contract with Durham County Cricket club as an English Player after completing four years residency as my father was English.
1992 played for Durham but switched to Derbyshire County Cricket Club
1992/93 signed with Windhill Cricket Div 2 scored the fastest 1000 runs (19 innings)
1993/94 Derbyshire County Cricket club contracted player Knee operation, appendix removed, broken wrist
1996 Two-month Contract with Warwickshire Country Cricket Club, played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club one game.
1996/02 Played for Lamphey CC Pembrokeshire League highest score 219 no Knee operation in 1997 (left knee)
1998/02 Wales minor counties
2002/03 Halls Head CC
2003/06 Rockingham Mandurah District Cricket Club
2007/21 Halls Head CC
2014 season on the 22/11/2014 had a 10th wicket partnership of 174 with my 13 yr old son playing F-Grade for Halls Head I made 123no Joe 36 and Joe hit the winning runs, we were 9 for 61
If you can share with our audience, how would you describe yourself as a cricketer?
Attacking right hand opening batsman, left arm orthodox spin, field anywhere on the ground throw both right and left hand bullets.
What were your strengths as a player?
Tactical thinker (Dermott Reeve was a mentor) take the attack apart, step up when the big moments are required, get in the heads of the opposition.
You represented Western Australia in the Under 19’s and also played 2 first class one day games in the U.K along with many 2nd XI County games in the U.K – can you share with us how you found the differences in playing in Australia compared to the U.K?
Australia the grounds are bigger and the wickets faster, especially in WA.
Australian A-grade cricket is stronger than UK second team cricket. (Back in the 80’ and 90’s not today.)
David on the right - opening the batting with David Dove in 1989
UK pitches with green out fields and white picket fences are just the most beautiful grounds to play cricket on (Except Chickenly in Dewsbury, my first ever game in the UK. They were pulling the grass cutting blades behind the tractor for the first time in months to mow the outfield. The clumps of grass acted like extra fielders, the pitch wet and green.
The northern sledging of Derek Johnson and his cohorts was like nothing I had ever seen or heard. (Although playing against Altofts 3 weeks later and Clive Jackson RIP took it to the next level) All of those guys are great friends of mine today and they made sure that a 19 yr old Aussie had to earn the right to play in Yorkshire. I did ring my mum after the Altofts game and wanted to come home, which she flatly told me to “grow some balls.”
The village/club cricket leagues are just fantastic. The cricket club is like the local point after winter for everyone in the village to come together and enjoy summer. I have played in front of 1000’s spectators watching club cricket, one day cup finals, league titles. I’ve been to all the test grounds and played at some of them as well. I made lifelong friends and would recommend a UK season or two to any aspiring cricketer. Cricket in the UK is more than the game it is everything you want out of life.
What was your highest score in senior cricket?
Lamphey CC 219 not out in Pembrokeshire County League
In 2000 David Lovell playing for Lamphey
What were your best bowling figures in senior cricket?
5 for 9 Halls Head B grade
Who were the best three fast bowlers you have played against?
Duncan Spencer - lightening
Ken Lilly at North Perth CC - just awesome line and length and late in swing.
Merv Hughes - mean
Duncan Spencer
Who were the best three spinners you have played against?
Stuart MacGill - we trained every day together for 2 years. Stuart would bowl 200 balls a week to me. We played against each other WA Colts 2nd XI against Australian Institute 1991/92. I scored 119, great memories.
Many UK left arm orthodox spinners as the pitches when they dust up we’re quite dangerous.
Stuart MacGill
Who were the best 3 batsman you’ve played against?
Justin Langer - so focused
Robin Smith - enough said
Alex Stewart - elegance
Who played the best innings you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
Tom Moody - he just destroyed the attack and placed singles and hit boundaries for fun.
Was there any bowler in particular who whatever reason seemed to always cause you a few problems?
Ken Lilly consistent line and length, bowled to his field and the late movement in and off the seam.
Can you recall a time when you thought, wow, this is a step or two up from what you were used to?
I thrived the higher the standard and the bigger the challenge. Just wish my knees did not give in.
Who was the best wicket keeper you’ve seen firsthand playing with or against?
David Smith - Birstall Central Yorkshire League UK, he stood up to everyone and could bat
Who are the two players you admired most in terms of skills and competitive spirit in the competitions you played?
Dermot Reeve was the best captain and tactical player I ever had the pleasure to play with. He would improvise and always look to win no matter the result. Playing, training and after game Dermott was always fun to be with.
Dale Burns - Halls Head CC, Batley CC. Dale and I first played in the UK together at Batley and he was awesome to bat with as he knew how to rotate the strike and read the game. Playing together at Halls Head, in a grand final we were on the ropes and we made 196 and Shoalwater were 2 for 100. 25 overs left and at drinks Dale as captain got the team together and inspired the team to pick up the intensity. We bowled them out for 140, best speech I’ve ever heard from a captain.
Dermott Reeve
Which umpire in did you admire most in how they managed a game?
Terry Prue, (WACA umpire) because he could have a beer after the game and talk about anything, with no judgement.
Who was the best captain you had the good fortune to play with?
Dermot Reeve the best tactician and motivator for any team, he taught me about angles and how to utilise your bowling attack to suit the status of the game.
Who has been your funniest team mate?
Mark Gulliver “Gilly” Yorkshire, the funniest cricketer ever. There a lot of others including Criag Ibbitson and Brad Daw
Can you recall some banter or an exchange on the cricket field that still makes you laugh today?
Playing in a Harrison-Allen mid-week cup match in Pembrokeshire and it was getting dark and the opposition were complaining as they couldn’t see the ball. I came on to bowl my grenades as to slow the bowling down. The batsman (19yr old) still complained about light, so I had a go at him for being a sook, next ball he hit for a massive six, which I replied with “you sore that alright you skinny little pr!ck” and 25 years later he is still known as skinny little Pp!ck.
Who was your childhood hero?
Kim Hughes
Kim Hughes
Who are the three sports people in the world you’d most like to meet?
Kerry O’Keefe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Brendan McCullum
Brendon McCullum
Who’s your favourite cricket commentator?
Kerry O’Keefe
What was your favourite ground to play at?
WACA there is no better cricket ground in the world
What’s been your most memorable moment in cricket?
10th wicket partnership with my son
What’s the best win you’ve been involved with?
Claremont Nedlands Grand final 1989/90
Who are the three players from your playing days at the top of the list for a Saturday afternoon barbeque?
Mark Gulliver (UK), John Carruthers (UK), Mark Paynter (UK), Nick Rohr (AUS), Brad Daw (AUS), Craig Ibbitson (AUS)
Windhill Cricket Club 1993 - David bottom left
What are your hobbies?
Bike riding, swimming at the beach, Clash of Clans
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Let your bat do the talking
What’s your occupation?
Marketer and Networking development
If you were running a state/county cricket association what would your 2 priorities to ensure cricket in the state remained strong and successful on and off the field?
Community based sponsorship of coaching clinics and programs that re invest in coaches and youth development, to maintain the fun and love of cricket, because once you get the bug of cricket it never leaves you.
