Former England cricketer David Lloyd on December 21 put an end to his long standing commentary career after spending over two decades with UK-based leading broadcaster Sky Sports.
Lloyd, who played nine Tests and nine ODIs from 1974 to 1980, had entered the coaching arena post his retirement. In 1999, he joined Sky Sports as a commentator and broadcaster and is now ending his tenure with the channel after entertaining fans with his amusing avatar and voice for 22 years.
In a statement issued over social media, the ex England coach said it’s the “right time to pass the microphone”. The 74-year-old mentioned he finds the commentary box a “little emptier” now that his long-term colleagues David Gower, Ian Botham and Michael Holding have also parted ways with Sky. This, a year after the passing of great Bob Willis.
“I’ve decided the time is now right to pass on the microphone. It’s been an immense privilege to try and bring the sport I love into people’s homes up and down the country,”
Lloyd said in a statement.
Llyod also passed on the baton to the younger lot at the Sky, saying with the presence of prominent voices like Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Rob Key, Ian Ward among others, the commentary box is in “capable hands” and they will ensure that the fans will continue to fall in love with the “wonderful” game of cricket.
In their statement, Sky Sports said Lloyd’s “extraordinary ability” to inform and entertain the fans in equal measure made him the “star” of their commentary box for over two decades. Specifically, Sky thanked Lloyd for playing an instrumental role in popularising T20 cricket when England launched the first-ever T20 domestic competition back in 2003, which later changed the sport “forever”.
Fondly known among his colleagues and fans by the nickname of ‘Bumble’, Lloyd indicated, however, that he may remain associated with the game of cricket in some form or shape by writing at the end of his statement:
“I’m done now with Sweet Caroline but in the words of Elton John, ‘I am still standing!’.”
Interestingly, Lloyd’s resignation with Sky comes after a month after his name emerged in the contentious Azeem Rafiq case related to the cricketer’s experience with systematic racism at the Yorkshire county club. Lloyd had to issue an apology to Rafiq after the latter revealed an exchange where the former had questioned his personal life and made derogatory remarks on the United Kingdom’s Asian cricket community.
In his apology, Lloyd stressed that he “deeply regret” his actions and “apologise most sincerely” to Rafiq and to the entire Asian cricket community based in the UK for causing offence.
“I am strongly committed to making cricket a more inclusive sport,”
he had said.
In their response at the time, Sky had mentioned that they are also committed to ensuring an inclusive sport for all and that they would investigate the comments made by Lloyd.
