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Test cricket hit David Lloyd where it hurts. Everything had been going
well in his first few Tests, with runs in epic proportions. He got the
greatest honour for an England player with selection for an Ashes series
in Australia. Yet there was a black cloud hovering over David's Mum's
house in late 1974. It was called Lillee and Thomson. The little
Lancashire left-hander bore the brunt of the sudden mugging unleashed by
the two fastest bowlers for many a year - Thommo heading up towards
100m.p.h. and Lillee not far behind. Most of the England batsmen got hit
by the ball, but Lloyd more than most. He got the most painful ball as
well - a whack in the box which doubled him over his bat and led to him
being helped off. He came back for a couple of ODIs but that tour put
paid to his Test career. It had been much sunnier up till then.
Lloyd
came from Accrington where, in later years he would open the batting
with a much younger Test player, Graeme Fowler. He joined Lancashire as a
left arm spinner, but soon found his true forte as an opening bat,
forming an effective partnership with Barry Wood the Yorkshireman. He
was groomed to become Jack Bond's successor as captain. The story goes
that once, when batting with the tall West Indian Clive Lloyd a
Lancashire member asked if they were brothers! Lloyd made his debut
against India at Lord's in 1974, scoring 46 of an opening stand of 116
with Dennis Amiss. In his second Test, at Edgbaston, he made 214 not
out, adding 157 with Amiss and a further 211 with skipper Mike Denness.
He made 49 and 35 at Perth that winter, 14 and 44 at Melbourne and 19
and 26 at Sydney. He was dropped for the last Test when both Lillee and
Thomson were injured and the England batsmen made hay. (Bob Harragan)
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