A SPOOKY OPENER FOR LOVELL

NEW Slab Road captain-coach Brad Lovell can’t help but think his late uncle Perry had some say in the fixture for this year’s Huon Channel Cricket Association competition.

The Roadies kickstart their 2020-21 season against the Huonville Bulls today — pitting Lovell against his former club and one his family has a long connection with.

And just to add further drama, the sides will be vying for the Perry Lovell memorial shield, named in honour of a cricketer who represented both clubs.

It will ensure there is plenty of spice when the first ball is unleashed at Cygnet Oval.

“I enjoy the coaching aspect of it and sometimes when you have been mixed up with a club for a long time its quite easy to get drawn back into the club and not the cricket,” Brad said.

“Obviously ‘Jonesy’ [former state gloveman Brady Jones] signing up there too, him and I have played a lot of cricket together, that helped as well. It was more about playing cricket than anything. Obviously there is a long list of family tradition at Huonville but I also played a lot of my cricket with Kingborough as well.

“It wasn’t an easy decision but it is a fantastic set up at Slab. It’s an honour to be playing for it [the shield] and I have to wonder whether Perry from up above had something to do with the rosters with me moving to Slab and making it round one.”

Brad is joined at Slab Road by cousin Jordan, himself a former Huonville president.

Current Bulls president Logan Bligh said while there was no bad blood in seeing two former teammates switch clubs, he expects there to be plenty of banter.

“It is a bit weird having both Jordan and Brad playing for a different club, but we are adjusting,” Bligh said.

“Their whole family has basically always been with the Huonville Cricket Club in one way or another.”