'Bumble' gets in on act as he backs Rashid to bounce back

Former England cricket coach David Lloyd has described the money from Sky going into the game as 'vital' and predicted a bright future for Yorkshire bowlers Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad.

Lloyd, known as Bumble to cricket fans and his 71,000 follower on Twitter, was speaking at the launch of a new play about cricket for which he provides the voice of 'the commentator'.

Written by cricket fan James Quinn, the play, Twenty:20, premiering at Scarborough next month, tells the story of a Twenty20 specialist

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cricketer who is suddenly called up to the England Ashes Test squad.

Lloyd, former Lancashire captain and England coach from 1996 to 1999, spoke out against criticism levelled at Sky which owns the rights to all England Test matches.

He said: "When I go to a restaurant I want my meal for free, if I go to the theatre I don't want to pay for my tickets, but that's not how the world works.

"Other television companies could have bid for the coverage rights, but they didn't. The money that keeps the game alive comes solely from TV revenue."

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Some critics argue that having Test matches available free-to-air are vital if youngsters are to be allowed access to the game, but Lloyd says the money from Sky gets youngsters playing the game.

He said: "The money from the TV company that owns the rights (Sky) goes to academies all over the country. The money paid for the rights filters down and there are programmes like 'Chance to Shine' that get kids playing cricket.

"People say that schools should be giving kids a chance to play, but I never played at school. The focus point for all young cricketers has always been a local club.

"The one criticism I have is that I want to see the money paid to the 18 individual counties being filtered down more. I think the onus is on the ECB to make sure those 18 clubs filter the money right down to grass roots level."

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Cash being filtered to grass roots clubs is vital if England is to continue to produce bright young talents like Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad, Yorkshire players who came up through the county's academy to play for the senior team and then England.

Shahzad is in the England set-up in the squads for both the Test and one-day teams. Rashid is in less favour with England.

After featuring in four of England's games in the ICC World Twenty20 competition last year, Rashid looked well placed to become firstly a one-day fixture and then a firm Test contender, with hopes high that he would carve out a niche as Graeme Swann's understudy.

But it has not worked out that way, with the Bradford-born all-rounder playing the role of drinks waiter – not for the first time – in last winter's Test tour of South Africa, ultimately losing his place in the one-day side and being overlooked for the trip to Bangladesh.

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Lloyd said: "Ajmal is really good. I presented him with his Test cap, which is always a special moment, a really touching moment for a young player. I think he's very exciting for the future. He's got everything, has the lad."

Of Rashid, Lloyd, a slow left-arm bowler with 237 first-class wickets as well as a top-order left-hand batsman, added: "I love the little lad. He's got a great talent, but they just need to let him bowl, leave him alone and let him bowl.

"He is going to be very special. He's 22 years old, he's got at least four years before he knows everything about bowling spin. They are both quite special players, but I've watched Adil since he was a young lad and he really has got something."

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