David Lloyd, a former England cricketer and commentator, has announced his retirement after working for 22 years as a commentator in Sky Sports.

pic.twitter.com/LXhLYdnfmh

— David 'Bumble' Lloyd (@BumbleCricket) December 21, 2021

Lloyd said that after the departure of his three long-term partners Ian Botham, David Gower and Michael Holding, also the passing of late Bob Willis, the “commentary box feels a little emptier.”

“I’ve decided the time is now right to pass on the microphone,” Lloyd said in a statement. “It’s been an immense privilege to try and bring the sport I love into people’s homes up and down the country.

“Sharing a commentary box in Australia in 2013 with my broadcasting hero Bill Lawry was a real highlight. It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Ian Bishop, Ravi Shastri, Shane Warne, Shaun Pollock, and Ian Smith amongst many others.

“With the passing of Bob Willis and after the decision to move on by my good friends David Gower, Ian Botham and more recently, Michael Holding, the commentary box feels a little emptier. And so I feel it is time for me to do the same and move on to the next chapter.

“I leave the Sky box now in immensely capable hands led by my pals Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Ian Ward and Rob Key. To those that follow, cherish that mic. Inform and entertain, so the next generation can fall in love with this wonderful game.”

Sky said in a statement that Lloyd had been “a star of the Sky Cricket commentary box for over two decades, with an extraordinary ability to inform and entertain in equal measure” and that he had played “a huge role helping Sky launch Twenty20, taking cricket to new audiences in 2003 – a format that has changed the sport forever”.

After he announced his retirement, tributes started to pour to bid farewell to one of the greatest voices in the commentary.

David Lloyd has announced his retirement from Sky Sports after 22 years with the company pic.twitter.com/DszsmNQ2Gv

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 21, 2021

"Afridi, fittingly hits the winning runs. Shahid Afridi – big man, big game, its a legbye, who cares?"

Thankyou for the lifelong memories. Bumble retires.#Bumble #DavidLloyd pic.twitter.com/lvnkJHwExJ

— CRYCRT (@crycrt) December 21, 2021

Wishing you all the best in your retirement, @BumbleCricket. pic.twitter.com/5Ug9Z71MTR

— Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) December 21, 2021

Thanks Bumble, you’ll be missed pic.twitter.com/BiuRomBb0C

— Joe Rawson (@joerawson) December 21, 2021

Veteran cricket commentator @BumbleCricket has decided to bid goodbye to the microphone after 22 years🎙️ pic.twitter.com/pVTmn6RQhU

— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) December 21, 2021