HARD to imagine, but David Lloyd was once a shy, retiring young cricketer.

The man now renowned for calling a spade a shovel was once the quietest voice in the dressing room as a teenager at Lancashire.

In adulthood, he has caused more stirs than Ainsley Harriott in a tornado.

Outbursts such as "we flippin' murdered 'em" referring to England's tour of Zimbabwe when they had drawn a match with the scores level have prompted huge intakes of breath.

Accrington-born Lloyd, affectionately known as Bumble, was coach of the England Cricket team at the time. In his defence, he explained it was a well-known and well-used northern expression, but such a comment did threaten his longevity in the position.

Controversy reigned supreme with Lloyd once more when he revealed he would be talking to the International Cricket Council about Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan's action. (It has since come to light that the former Lancashire bowler is unable to straighten his arm).

He has also been known to have the odd heated debate with fellow ex-player and cricket pundit Geoffrey Boycott.

But, remarkably, his outbursts have never been at the cost of friendship.

"I've had a couple of altercations but I've quickly made up with them," said the 56-year-old, who is now the voice of Sky Sports' cricket coverage.

"Geoff Boycott has been one of those people on a number of occasions, but we've both said we're pals and still speak to each other - although I haven't done for a while.

"I've never had any trouble with any of the players I commentate on now. You're just giving an opinion, saying you don't like the shot that's just been played, for example. You're not saying you don't like the bloke, and there's nothing to stop you from buying them a beer afterwards and having a chat.

"We're just in the business of giving an opinion.

"And the worst thing about commentary is agreeing with your co-commentator or saying that everything is going well when it isn't.

"You've got to tell it like it is, because you're paid to give an opinion."

And that's just one of the reasons, besides his natural wit and charisma, why Lloyd has been able to establish a successful sideline as an after-dinner speaker. Plus, after a long and favourable career in cricket, he has gathered many tales along the way.

Like most professional cricketers, Lloyd lived and breathed the game from an early age.

He joined up with home town cricket club Accrington while he was a youngster at Peel Park Primary School in the town and progressed through the Thorneyholme Road outfit's ranks, from the third team to the firsts before joining Lancashire Boys and singing professional terms for his county when he was just 16 years old.

"It was a pretty rapid rise," he said.

"I was young and finding my feet and it all happened very quickly.

"It was a massive step up from club cricket to county cricket because you were playing against really good players.

"I'm amazed, really, how I came through it because the players were miles better than any opposition I'd faced before and it was a shock to the system.

"So I used to practice until I was dropping. My fingers would be raw."

Because of his fast-tracking onto the county scene, Lloyd admits he feels great sympathy for Lancashire and England's latest rising star, James Anderson.

"I feel for him more so because he is an opening bowler, so there's even greater pressure and expectation," the former batsman and left-arm slow bowler said.

"For him it's all about learning where you can and can't bowl now. He needs to build up his stamina too because, I can promise him, when you open the bowling in Columbo you can't breath it's so hot.

"It's not like bowling at Enfield, Rishton or Burnley. You need to be ultra fit and take in a lot of water so you don't dehydrate.

"But he's doing brilliantly considering how fast everything's happened for him."

Like Anderson had to in Zimbabwe during the winter, Lloyd grew up fast.

On the pitch, he was shouldering the responsibilty of being a county player while, off it, he had the extra onus of getting married and setting up a home when he was just 21.

Two children had followed by the time he had celebrated his 24th birthday before his family was complete with the birth of his fourth child a few years later. But Lloyd admitted he would never knock the stability that married life brought him and contributed, for the better, to his career.

"Although I missed out on a lot when I was growing up through being committed to cricket, my family were good for my career," said Lloyd, who's son Graham followed in his father's footsteps in playing for Accrington and Lancashire.

"But I had a big ambition to do well and play at international level, and family life helped in that department.

"I was captain of Lancashire for five years and I don't think there has been anyone, post war, who has been captain for that long.

"And we had a hell of a team then, winning the Gillette Cup in the 70s in front of a full house at Lord's.

"We were almost the Manchester United of cricket. We didn't win the championship, but we were very dominant in one-day cricket"

Lloyd's ambitions were fulfilled when he broke into the international arena, making his Test debut against India in 1974 before hitting a double century against them a few years later.

Now he enjoys being on the other side of the camera - and microphone, which projects his instantly recognisable northern twang.

"I finished playing in 1983. That was the end of one career and the start of a new one," he said.

"People always ask me if I miss playing, but I don't. It's hard to explain, but I've found something else that I love doing, and I get paid to watch the game I love."