Saturday was just one of several outstanding performances turned in during the early stages of the Shell/BF&M Youth Leagues to date.

The 14-year-old CedarBridge student's bowling heroics were achieved in a losing cause as his Hamilton Parish team suffered a 50-run loss to visiting St. David's in the under-16 match. Lovell, was in devastating form, destroying the first six batsmen as St. David's found themselves in a hole at 40 for six before Shannon Raynor steered them out of trouble with a robust 86.

"It was my best ever performance with the ball,'' said the right-arm, fast-medium bowler.

"I bowled pretty good. I was swinging the ball well in the air and pitched it right up to the batsmen who had trouble dealing with the deliveries.'' But Lovell, whose father David Lovell Sr. was a prominent soccer player for Warwick United. doesn't classify himself as being just a good bowler. He feels he is an all-rounder although he has yet to turn in a sterling batting performance this season.

A few years ago he struck 74 runs during a Primary School game while attending Francis Patton -- his best ever batting performance.

On Saturday he was dismissed for seven bowled by a medium pacer, but he is hopeful that runs will eventually flow from his bat this season.

"I was playing forward when I should have played on the back foot and that led to my downfall,'' recalled Lovell.

The potential is there for him to become a top allrounder: Last year he was voted man of the match during the Junior Eastern Counties while playing for Bailey's Bay -- a game in which he scored 27 not out.

Like many youngsters, Lovell is excited to see youth cricket revived in Bermuda.

"I am quite happy, so are many of the players I know who are involved. I didn't think it would ever happen after being stopped for so long,'' he said.

DAVID LOVELL