Record-breaker Lovell a star in the making

Emerging batsman Angus Lovell put his name up in lights as a player of the future with a record-breaking 2016-17 Under 17 National Championships campaign. 

Scoring 489 runs during the tournament, which finished last week in his home state, Lovell was named the Player of the Championships and in the process broke a Queensland Under 17s record that had stood for 35 seasons.

Not only did he break the record for the most runs by a Queenslander at the Under 17 championships, he smashed it by 87 runs, producing two brilliant centuries plus three half-centuries in eight innings across the two weeks.

Quick single: CA XI team for Under 19 Champs named

The key to his success?

"I think it was just to back my game really," Lovell told cricket.com.au.

"I knew I had something like this in me, but it was just about going out and putting the performance together in the game. It was just about backing my ability really."

The challenge from Queensland’s Under 17s coach, former Canada, Victoria and South Australia allrounder John Davison, has been for Lovell to channel a former star Queensland and Australia opening batsman.

"A big six-foot-five kid, I think it’d be quite intimidating for young guys to be bowling to him," Davison said.

"We want him to stamp his authority on a game, I suppose in the way Matthew Hayden used to do.

"Angus has been great.

"He’s got his own way - he loves spending time out in the middle which is great to see from a young batter.

"We’ve challenged him to really try to take the game on and he’s starting to get his head around that."

Lovell’s feats earned him selection in the Cricket Australia XI side which will play at the Under 19 National Championships in December.

"It was probably more relief than anything," the 17-year-old Sunshine Coast product said of his selection.

"I guess it’s been one of my goals for a while now, so to finally hear my name getting read out was pretty special.

"It’s good to see all that hard work I’ve been putting in has paid off. I’m stoked to get into the team. I think it will sink in when I’m on the flight down there. It’s a real honour, it’s something I’m really looking forward to."