David Lloyd (cricketer)
A Lancashire cricket lifer whose folksy wit and sharp tactical mind made him one of the game's most beloved broadcast voices.
Born 1947 (age 79)·English former cricketer, coach, and commentator·Birthday: March 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
David 'Bumble' Lloyd's life has been etched into the fabric of English cricket. A gritty left-handed batsman and occasional slow bowler, he spent his entire playing career with Lancashire, embodying the county's competitive spirit and helping them to trophy success in the one-day game. His nine Test matches were hard-fought, highlighted by a defiant, unbeaten 214 against India, a marathon effort that typified his stubbornness at the crease. After hanging up his pads, he moved seamlessly into coaching, taking the helm of the England team in the 1990s during a transitional period. But it was in the commentary box where Lloyd found his true calling. His Lancashire accent, rich with humor and sudden bursts of insightful observation ('Start the car!'), turned technical analysis into entertainment, making complex moments accessible and fun for a generation of viewers.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored 214 not out for England against India at Edgbaston in 1974, the highest score by an England nightwatchman.
- Won four one-day trophies with Lancashire as a player, including the inaugural Sunday League in 1969.
- Served as head coach of the England cricket team from 1996 to 1999.
- Became a primary voice in Sky Sports' cricket coverage for over two decades, defining its popular tone.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Bumble' comes from a perceived resemblance to the cartoon characters 'The Bumblies' from TV host Michael Bentine's show.
He played semi-professional football as a goalkeeper for Accrington Stanley.
He once umpired a One Day International between England and the West Indies in 1991.
He is known for coining the popular cricketing phrase 'He's absolutely murdered that!'.
“Start the car!”
