Former England cricketer David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd didn’t hold back when he criticised both India and England for wasting too much time during the Lord’s Test. He took a funny dig at the way batters were getting constant back massages and said they might as well enjoy a full Thai massage with music and celebrities.
Back Massage and Time-Wasting Taking Over Cricket
According to Lloyd, the match had so many delays that it barely managed to finish 80 overs in the first two days.
The slow over-rates from both teams made the game feel lazy. On Day 3, Zak Crawley seemed to avoid facing more than one over before Stumps, and something similar happened with India and Akash Deep on Day 4.
Apart from that, there were many small stoppages due to player injuries and fitness checks, which slowed the match even more.
David Lloyd’s Funny Take on Massage Breaks
Lloyd wrote in his Daily Mail column, “The back massage for the batter is more popular than ever. They might as well get a proper Thai massage. Get the rose petals out and the soothing water sounds on. During the interlude, the Irish Guards can get a full circuit in with their selection of Sousa Marches. Failing that, Mick Jagger’s bound to be there so he can entertain like Cliff Richards at Wimbledon. That would be far more entertaining than two overs of cricket. Or in the case of Zak Crawley, just the one.”
His words showed both humour and frustration at the slow pace of play during the Test.
India Also Blamed for Delays
Lloyd made it clear that India were also not innocent. He pointed out that they were just as responsible as anyone else when it came to wasting time on the field.
He added, “To further avoid the embarrassment of time-wasting for all concerned, it should be a rule that you must bowl 15 overs in the last hour of the day. No ifs or buts. The regulations that are in place on day five should apply every day. And there’s no point India rocking about because they’re as guilty as anybody when it comes to time-wasting.”
Calls for ICC to Step In With New Rules
Lloyd didn’t just complain, he also gave a suggestion to fix things. He said that the ICC must bring in a strong rule to control time-wasting in Tests.
By calling out both teams and asking for stricter rules, David Lloyd has started a serious conversation around the flow of the game and how it can be improved for fans and players.
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