'Sexy cricket' fails the Test.

Byline: AIDAN PAYNE

FORMER Lancashire and England test cricketer David Lloyd believes the emergence of one-day "sexy cricket" will not spell the end for five-day Test matches.

However, the popular Sky Sports commentator warned the heavy one-day schedule needed to be "carefully managed" by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to prevent the game descending into chaos.

Mr Lloyd, affectionately known to cricket fans around the world as 'Bumble', delivered the message in an exclusive interview with the GDN before addressing last night's Gentleman's Dinner at the British Club, Adliya.

"Test matches will always be part of the game, but since the introduction of Twenty20 cricket and the increasing amount of 50-overs matches, the fixture schedule is becoming increasingly chaotic and a formulated solution needs to be found to regulate it," Mr Lloyd told the GDN.

However, the 62-year-old from Accrington, Lancashire, revealed cricket had not really changed since his playing days.

But he admitted the Twenty20 version had revamped the sport and helped generate greater interest worldwide.

"Look at the Twenty20 version, it's sexy cricket," he said.

"Great for families, lots of fun and a great little three-hour package.

"India has become the real powerhouse in the game with the Indian Premier League and just the volume of people in that country and the fanatical following of players such as Sachin Tendulkar guarantees its success."

Mr Lloyd made his debut for Lancashire in 1965 and was part of the successful side that won three consecutive Gillette Cups in 1970, 1971 and 1972, before retiring in 1983.

"Those cup successes in the early 1970s were great days and the fantastic team spirit among the team was due to our captain Jack Bond, who really helped us all get together and unite as a team," recalled Mr Lloyd.

Mr Lloyd captained his county from 1973 to 1977 and scored more than 19,000 first class runs in his career.

He also played in nine Tests for England between 1974 and 1975, including a game against India at Egbaston, Birmingham, in 1974, when he scored an unbeaten 214.

As well as batting, Lloyd was a more than useful slow left arm bowler and once took 10 wickets in a match.

He also took five wickets in a single innings on five other occasions, taking his career total to 237 wickets.

Mr Lloyd recalled that in those days, you would be informed by letter from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) if you had been selected for England and you had to reply by letter if you were available.

"I was proud to represent England as that is what you worked for all your career," he added.

"No doubt about it, my unbeaten 214 against India was the biggest highlight and a career high."

Later, from 1996 to 1999, Mr Lloyd became England's coach and his proudest moment was when his team came from one down against South Africa to win a five-Test series in 1998.

"South Africa was a strong side and a tough nut to crack, though we had some fine players such as Mike Atherton, Alec Stewart, Darren Gough, Graham Thorpe and Angus Fraser who saw us through," he said.

After retirement, Mr Lloyd initially became a first-class umpire from 1985-87 and surprisingly described it as the best job he ever had.

However, he said players today were lucky to have state-of-the-art equipment available to improve their game.

"One thing that hasn't changed is the ball - it's still hard and if it gets you in the wrong place, you will know all about it."

Mr Lloyd lists Gary Sobers, Viv Richards and Malcolm Marshall as some of the best players he ever came up against, but reserves admiration for the modern greats including Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag and Muttiah Muralitharan.

He remains in touch with some of his former teammates such as Ken Shuttleworth, Jack Simmons and David Hughes, but revealed it was his old colleague the late John Sullivan who was responsible for his nickname 'Bumble'.

"That came about when my former teammate, the late Sullivan, said once in the dressing room I looked like one of the three little aliens from outer space known as the 'Bumblies', from a show with Michael Bentine in the 1950s (called The Bumblies)," he explained.

"My eldest son Graham also has the same nickname."

Last night's dinner was organised by the British Club AC Jurassic Section and attended by around 250 guests.

It was sponsored by Gulf Brands International Express, Speedy Motors and AXA Insurance.

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