The 2024 cricket season is now in full swing, in a summer which includes the fourth instalment of The Hundred, the T20 Big Bash and England taking on the likes of Sri Lanka & Australia.
To get insight into the sports hottest debates, earlier this year we sat down with FORTRESS brand ambassador and Derbyshire batsmen David Lloyd to preview the campaign and get his views on some of the sports hottest topics.

The experienced Welshman spent 11 years at Glamorgan before making his loan move to Derbyshire permanent earlier this year and he has an excellent pedigree in the game, scoring almost 5000 first class runs which includes an incredible knock of 313 not out back in 2022.
The 32-year-old discussed a range of topics including the success and long-term future of the games newest format, The Hundred, along with providing insight into the impact of Bazball on test cricket and current state of the game in Wales.
David on the long-term future of The Hundred and the impact on other formats of the game
Net World Sports: Has The Hundred been effective in capturing a new audience for the game?
David Lloyd: Having played in the first one, it definitely brought a different type of fan to the games, and it’s been great for kids. Then, for people who don’t really follow cricket, especially watching it on TV, it’s quite simple in terms of layout and being able to watch; the scores are quite basic.
So, it has had its positives in terms of new people coming into the game. It’s probably been more beneficial for women’s cricket in terms of the exposure that they’re getting and what it’s allowed those women to do and progress their careers in terms of doing well in that and then going into the women’s IPL. So, it’s been very good for them, and they obviously play on the same day as the men, so they’re playing in front of crowds, which they probably weren’t getting before, so for them, it’s been perfect.
The only issue is that no other country plays that format so what is the end goal for it? Also, how does the ECB fit it in without really taking away from county cricket? And the revenue in terms of what they’re going to make. There’s going to need to be more money pumped into it for them to get the best players into it because you look at last year, and there were a lot of players who turned down The Hundred to go to America because there was a lot more money. So there’s a long way to go for me.
I think they should revamp the T20 Blast. Keep county teams and push it hard to make it a stronger competition. You look at the other ones around the world, like the SA20, which has been a real hit, and then you have the IPL, Big Bash, and things like that.
If you can improve our domestic T20, then you’d be a lot better off because people will still follow their counties. Now I know people who may not follow Welsh Fire because they have no affiliation with it. That’s my feelings, and it’s quite hard to get your die-hard supporters when it’s just a franchise that has been made from nothing.

Net World Sports: You seem to be suggesting that lots of effort and money got put into The Hundred to create a format that nobody asked for and isn’t played anywhere around the world. And instead, we should take the good elements of The Hundred and put it into the T20 and counties. Which in turn could help with a better England squad or even a potential Team GB in the Olympics in 2028, which will obviously be a T20 or a short form format.
David Lloyd: And that was the thing last year. None of the English players really played because of availability. I think it’s similar this year as well. You want to get your best players playing for their counties, and the supporters want to watch their players. Glamorgan had Chris Cook there last year, but then you’ve got Jonny Bairstow, a Yorkshire lad playing for Welsh Fire.
Again, I know that’s sport, but you’d make the county game much better in terms of putting more money into the T20 Blast and more games on TV in the same way they’ve put The Hundred, where there’s a game every night. But then working alongside the women’s game as well, so you still have those double headers. That’s obviously something way above my pay grade and my job description! It’s easy for me to sit here and say, but then I don’t know the costs or if it’s worthwhile. The 50-over competitions run around The Hundred, and that’s becoming a play-your-youngsters kind of format, giving them exposure to professional cricket.
If we as counties were playing The Hundred format at the same time, it would be more beneficial if you were going to keep it because you’d get the counties playing The Hundred as well. Then, if lads are going to get picked up for The Hundred, they’ve experienced it a little bit, they know what to expect, so that would make more sense again.
And then with 50-over cricket, I don’t know what’s happened to that. There are a lot of questions, which obviously I haven’t got the answer to, but I suppose in a way it’s a bit exciting because I don’t know what the future of cricket holds. Whether it’s good or bad, I don’t know, but there’s a lot to consider.
David on how Bazball has taken test cricket to new heights

Net World Sports: What impact do you think Bazball has had on test cricket?
David Lloyd: Looking from the outside, it’s made test cricket much more enjoyable to watch because it’s really exciting.
I suppose they’re bringing the T20 format into the longer version of the game in terms of shot selection and the pace of the game. So, as an outsider looking in, it’s great. As a person who plays cricket, it’s how long it can last because there are times when you need to play the in-game situation.
There have been moments in matches where they kept the Bazball intensity and it’s shot them in the foot a little bit. But then, that’s why they’ve had success over the last year or so and why change it? It’s good for test match cricket because it’s keeping the format alive. I don’t know whether five-day tests will continue because I don’t think any of these games are on to the fifth day. So, whether it’s going to be four-day test match cricket, we’ll see. But it’s definitely been a positive for cricket and the longer format cricket.
Net World Sports: Does it [Bazball] change the way you play the game when you’re at the crease?
David Lloyd: If you’re in form as a batter, you can cope with it and the demands of the quick scoring pace. If you’re slightly out of form, then it can probably work either way. You could hit yourself back into form, or you could play a shot that you may not normally play. I suppose that’s why they’ve picked these players, to fit the Bazball mould, because if you’re going off scores around the country in terms of players who perform the best but aren’t getting into the test match team, there may be reasons for that in terms of whether they can play that particular way.
You’ve got to be an adaptable player to fit into those roles. Ben Stokes is someone who backs his players and wants them to be aggressive. When you’re doing well, it’s great, but if you lose two on the bounce, then people start questioning it – but then that’s sport. I think for those lads, it’s to continue doing what they’re doing, but maybe they will have times when they rein themselves in a little bit. But it’s exciting to watch because you know you’re going to get a result at the end of the day instead of a boring draw.
We saw that with Australia as well. Teams don’t seem to be changing their way of playing against England. They’re just backing their own systems and how they want to go about it. There’ll be times when England will whack them all over the park, but then it leaves an opportunity elsewhere to get a result.

Net World Sports: Is trying to hit the big scores quickly, especially in test cricket, leaving too big of a window for the other team to take control towards the later stages?
David Lloyd: If you’re a customer paying to go to day five of a test match at Lord’s, then you probably wouldn’t buy a ticket anymore because you’re not likely going to get there. But you can see both sides. It gives England more of an opportunity to win the game, but it also gives the opposition more time to get themselves back in the game.
However, England have got a good record since Stokes and McCullum took over, so what they’re doing is spot on. But then the public must realise that’s the way they’re going to play, and you’ve got to accept that they’re going to win in three or four days or lose in two or three.
That’s just the nature of it, really, and I suppose that’s what makes it more exciting; you never know what’s going to happen. I’ve seen a change in terms of the county game because if the national team play in that way, then it creeps in. There are quite a few teams in the county game who are playing that way, and if you look at Durham last year, who got promoted, they were scoring at four and a half runs an over, which is obviously quite high for four-day cricket, and it worked for them.
I think you’ll see more teams trying to be aggressive going forward because if they’re doing well, some players might then put their names forward to play for England, so it’s a win-win. I think Bazball has had a massive effect on county cricket, and I think it will continue doing so. You’ll see players coming through over the next year or so who will have different styles to current players.
There’s an era now where players want to play white ball cricket because of the money in that. But you may see a switch if England continue to do what they’re doing with this exciting brand of test cricket. Over time, you might see more exposure for test match cricket, and more players could go back down that route as well. The way it’s being played, there’s no reason why you can’t do it in T20 matches because it’s a similar fashion anyway, so it’ll be interesting to see.
David on Welsh cricket & the next top prospect
Net World Sports: You’re Welsh born and bred, so how do you view the future of cricket in Wales? Do you see a time when Wales has a national squad and participates in some major competitions?
David Lloyd: I’d love to see that because there’s so much potential and quality in Wales. It’s how can we get the best out of that?

For Wales to have its own team would be beneficial, and it would give players a lot more opportunity to play international cricket like with Scotland and Ireland. I’m not sure how you get to that point, but I can only see it being a plus for people in Wales, and that might even bring a lot more players through because they know there’s a pathway to play international cricket.
I know there is now, but you’re dealing with England players as well. So, if the opportunity arose, it would be a great transition for Welsh cricket, and hopefully, one day, it might happen.
I think a lot of players who play in the English setup would like to play for their country, especially myself, I would love to represent Wales professionally in a game against an England or Scotland, it would be great. Hopefully one day soon.
Net World Sports: Who’s the next big thing in Welsh cricket, and who should fans keep an eye on for the future?
David Lloyd: Romano Franco, who’s in the Glamorgan academy, he’s originally from Buckley. He was a wicketkeeper who batted, and he’s now become a bit of a spinner as well he’s got a really promising future ahead of him.
Thanks to David for taking the time to sit down with us. We wish him and Derbyshire all the best for the season.