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Last in the Tin Bath: The Autobiography
With his infectious enthusiasm for the game, David 'Bumble' Lloyd is one of the most popular cricket commentators around, blending immense knowledge and experience with an eye for the quirky detail and an unending fund of brilliant stories.
This new autobiography recalls his childhood in Accrington, Lancashire, when, after a long day playing cricket in the street, he would get his chance to wash himself in his family's tin bath - but only after his parents and uncle had taken their turn first. From there he moved on to make his debut for Lancashire while still in his teens, eventually earning an England call-up, when he had to face the pace of Lillee and Thomson - with painful and eye-watering consequences. After retiring as a player, he became an umpire and then England coach during the 1990s, before eventually turning to commentary with Sky Sports.
Packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of Lancashire cricket, and behind-the-scenes insight into life with England and on the Sky commentary team, Bumble's book is a joy to read from start to finish.
This new autobiography recalls his childhood in Accrington, Lancashire, when, after a long day playing cricket in the street, he would get his chance to wash himself in his family's tin bath - but only after his parents and uncle had taken their turn first. From there he moved on to make his debut for Lancashire while still in his teens, eventually earning an England call-up, when he had to face the pace of Lillee and Thomson - with painful and eye-watering consequences. After retiring as a player, he became an umpire and then England coach during the 1990s, before eventually turning to commentary with Sky Sports.
Packed with hilarious anecdotes from the golden age of Lancashire cricket, and behind-the-scenes insight into life with England and on the Sky commentary team, Bumble's book is a joy to read from start to finish.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2015
27 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
David Lloyd
12 books7 followersDavid Lloyd, aka "Bumble", is a former Lancashire and England cricketer who also coached both sides. He first came to prominence on the iconic Test Match Special radio show before becoming a leading member of the SkySports cricket commentary team, and the face of their Twenty20 coverage. He writes a fortnightly column for the Daily Mail, a blog on the SkySports website, and appears regularly on Cricinfo's cricket podcast. Bumble is a massively popular after-dinner speaker and has also been a star turn in Countdown's Dictionary Corner.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 9, 2015
I don't read many sporting biographies but this one got a good plug on TMS and Bumble is quite amusing on air as well as being a fellow Lancastrian so I bought it for the Kindle.
Mistake.
This is as bad an example of the genre as I have ever read. There is no discernible narrative thread and a dearth of anecdotes that rise above the level of "Meh". There is a lot of self-serving stuff about why being England coach was so hard in his day that nobody could have done any better. This may even be true but its reads like a large consignment of sour grapes.
And something I didn't know - Lloyd went on one of the mercenary unofficial South African tours in the 1980s when most of the sporting world was doing what it could to chip away at the evil that was apartheid. I would have been interested to hear how he justified that, either to himself or to the many black and brown cricketers with whom he came into contact over the years. No point being interested though because it was glossed over in a single sentence.
This is such a bad book that while reading it I at least gave him credit for writing it himself - surely no professional writer could have produced such dross? But no. There was a ghost, one Richard Gibson. He too should hang his head in shame.
Mistake.
This is as bad an example of the genre as I have ever read. There is no discernible narrative thread and a dearth of anecdotes that rise above the level of "Meh". There is a lot of self-serving stuff about why being England coach was so hard in his day that nobody could have done any better. This may even be true but its reads like a large consignment of sour grapes.
And something I didn't know - Lloyd went on one of the mercenary unofficial South African tours in the 1980s when most of the sporting world was doing what it could to chip away at the evil that was apartheid. I would have been interested to hear how he justified that, either to himself or to the many black and brown cricketers with whom he came into contact over the years. No point being interested though because it was glossed over in a single sentence.
This is such a bad book that while reading it I at least gave him credit for writing it himself - surely no professional writer could have produced such dross? But no. There was a ghost, one Richard Gibson. He too should hang his head in shame.
February 10, 2021
funny in parts autobiography of bumble aka david lloyd ex lancashire england player and coach and now sky sports presenter look at his cricketing life
March 11, 2021
Very entertaining....stopped reading Geoff Boycott's biography to gorge on this one. Will have to thank YTouTube for recommending me a Bumble video to get me piqued in the first place.
January 7, 2016
When I was given this book as a present, by a fellow sports fan, I was very excited.
David "Bumble" Lloyd is one of those extremely likeable characters, mainly because he sort of lives up to his nickname - he bumbles along through life without causing anyone any offence - even though you get the sense sometimes that he's trying hard to break this Mr Nice guy image. But at the end of the day, he's just too nice to do so - and that sums up this book really.
It's just too nice.
This is meant to be his autobiography, though having started to read it, I realized that I'd read a lot of his life story in a previous book. So is this a second installment of his autobiography, an updated version of his autobiography, or was one of the two life stories I've read by him not in fact an autobiography? It doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things - he wouldn't be the first person to write the same story under more than one title after all, would he?
But even though it may be the second telling of the same story, it suffers really because sadly there's just not much of a story to tell here.
He was bought up, he became a professional cricketer, he tried his hand at umpiring, at coaching and a few other odd jobs, and eventually ended up as a chap who appears on radio and television and makes the odd funny remark, and is known more for his malapropismatic tendencies than his cutting wit, his deep homolifics or his searing intellect.
His time as England coach is the usual mix of "would have, should have, could haves" that most ex coaches drone on about without any real self examination or benefit of hindsight admissions that he was anything less than 100% correct all of the time. He is at best ambiguous about his part in one of the most horrible of chapters of Apartheidt South Africa's sporting hall of shame. Time and again, he shows what is either an alarming lack of self awareness - or a deliberate obfuscation of the facts.
Towards the end of the book, specifically in the last two or three chapters, the reader gets the definite sense that something has gone wrong with the typesetting, as paragraphs seem to be appear rather randomly with no apparent link to anything that comes immediately before or afterwards - almost as if a bored sub editor has cut loads of bits out, but hasn't bothered to put some sticking plaster or glue to fill up the narrative gaps left behind.
Yes, there is the odd vaguely amusing anecdote here, and yes, the rather likeable, bumbling character does shine through from time to time, but overall this is at best a rather tepid tin bath of a book....
David "Bumble" Lloyd is one of those extremely likeable characters, mainly because he sort of lives up to his nickname - he bumbles along through life without causing anyone any offence - even though you get the sense sometimes that he's trying hard to break this Mr Nice guy image. But at the end of the day, he's just too nice to do so - and that sums up this book really.
It's just too nice.
This is meant to be his autobiography, though having started to read it, I realized that I'd read a lot of his life story in a previous book. So is this a second installment of his autobiography, an updated version of his autobiography, or was one of the two life stories I've read by him not in fact an autobiography? It doesn't matter in the bigger scheme of things - he wouldn't be the first person to write the same story under more than one title after all, would he?
But even though it may be the second telling of the same story, it suffers really because sadly there's just not much of a story to tell here.
He was bought up, he became a professional cricketer, he tried his hand at umpiring, at coaching and a few other odd jobs, and eventually ended up as a chap who appears on radio and television and makes the odd funny remark, and is known more for his malapropismatic tendencies than his cutting wit, his deep homolifics or his searing intellect.
His time as England coach is the usual mix of "would have, should have, could haves" that most ex coaches drone on about without any real self examination or benefit of hindsight admissions that he was anything less than 100% correct all of the time. He is at best ambiguous about his part in one of the most horrible of chapters of Apartheidt South Africa's sporting hall of shame. Time and again, he shows what is either an alarming lack of self awareness - or a deliberate obfuscation of the facts.
Towards the end of the book, specifically in the last two or three chapters, the reader gets the definite sense that something has gone wrong with the typesetting, as paragraphs seem to be appear rather randomly with no apparent link to anything that comes immediately before or afterwards - almost as if a bored sub editor has cut loads of bits out, but hasn't bothered to put some sticking plaster or glue to fill up the narrative gaps left behind.
Yes, there is the odd vaguely amusing anecdote here, and yes, the rather likeable, bumbling character does shine through from time to time, but overall this is at best a rather tepid tin bath of a book....
July 5, 2017
I'd been meaning to read this book for a while and it was as enjoyable as I expected it to be. David Lloyd is a naturally funny man as anyone who watches Test Cricket on Sky will know and his humour features heavily through the book. We start with him growing up in Accrington, dressed as a girl because his mother wanted to have a girl called Gwyneth while his dad had a bird called Joey perched on his head most of the time and looked like Mikhail Gorbachev when it took a crap on him!
He talks about the various jobs he had and the big decision over whether to play football or cricket professionally, and it charts his rise through the Lancashire leagues to play for his county and country. We get detail on his England career as a player including his infamous injury and his coaching career for the national side. It was entertaining and fun to read.
He talks about the various jobs he had and the big decision over whether to play football or cricket professionally, and it charts his rise through the Lancashire leagues to play for his county and country. We get detail on his England career as a player including his infamous injury and his coaching career for the national side. It was entertaining and fun to read.
December 9, 2015
I feel really guilty for marking this book so low as David "Bumble" Lloyd is one of the funniest sports commentators in the UK.
However the book sadly does not portray this. It is dull, repetitive, monotonous and poorly constructed.
One to avoid I am afraid.
However the book sadly does not portray this. It is dull, repetitive, monotonous and poorly constructed.
One to avoid I am afraid.
September 25, 2017
David Lloyd, aka Bumble, is one of life's energy enhancers. Positivity oozes out of every pore and his enthusiasm for cricket, sport and life is infectious. His autobiography is an often humorous canter through the people, places and events that have made him the man he is today. From humble beginnings in Accrington to the top of English cricket, he has never forgotten his roots nor his belief in the importance of community. When you listen to him commentate on TV, you get the feeling that this is an approachable man that you would happily spend time with over a pint. This book confirms that view. We need more David Lloyds in the world. Life enhancers who make you feel lifted from just hearing them talk or from being in their company. I thoroughly enjoyed his book and heartily recommend it.
May 17, 2018
This was a real surprise but a very pleasant one. On the odd occasions I've heard David Lloyd in the commentary box I have always seen him as one of the Sky 'lads' with their overstatement and occasional or not so occasional ego boosting sessions, which to be fair he takes serious issue with towards the end of the book. Actually, as this book proves he is a very astute observer of the game, has done everything it's possible to do in a career and come out of the other end still loving the game that made him famous. It is an extremely engaging book and not afraid to court controversy where needed in terms of where cricket is headed. I enjoyed this book enormously and I am happy to say that I was wrong about Mr Lloyd!
March 22, 2020
A light enough read by a good story-teller, but at least forty pages too long when the latter part of the book is just Lloyd's recollections of England's recent fortunes that he has watched from the commentary box. There's a whole chapter just about Kevin Pietersen that still requires extensive knowledge of the affair to properly understand; these sections would perhaps have better suited his first book. Lloyd nevertheless gives an honest assessment of his various careers, although there is notable restraint on criticism of Sky, and the book never veers into the familiar "needless to say, I had the last laugh" territory that many autobiographies fall into.
September 1, 2025
Yet another Sports book that needs a firmer hand on the editing!! They seem to have spent more time on the photos for the Front and Back Covers of the book than they do in organising this messy, meandering narrative. This just seems to have been published to cash-in on Lloyd's brief involvement with the England Cricket Team. It has no real shelf life - the author makes no attempt to place the events he describes (or rather, gives his self-important opinion on) into any sort of context. Reading this at a remove of 10 years or so, I struggled to remember what the issues being discussed were! And a good editor would hopefully have prevented him coming across as such a conceited hothead!
July 8, 2019
I enjoy listening to Bumble commentate and picked this up expecting an anecdote fuelled romp through his career. Actually, it's quite a disappointment. The anecdotes were few but what did come across was a quite negative view of how things panned out in most aspects of his life. He rarely reflects on himself and seems to have a chip on his shoulder about his time as England coach. Some parts sparkle but there is lots that doesn't and this book left unfulfilled potential.
November 3, 2025
This is a wonderful read, and an essential insight into the world of David 'Bumble' Lloyd. I would have given this 5 stars, but the narrative does bounce around a bit.
David's love for Accrington, Cricket, Lancashire and England shine's through on every page. Is he a 'National Treasure'? I'd like to think so!
David's love for Accrington, Cricket, Lancashire and England shine's through on every page. Is he a 'National Treasure'? I'd like to think so!
October 4, 2018
Excellent Read
An excellent read with plenty of humour of how a lad from Accrington became an England cricketer and then a Sky Sports commentator.
An excellent read with plenty of humour of how a lad from Accrington became an England cricketer and then a Sky Sports commentator.
December 18, 2019
Decent read.
Typical David Lloyd cricket book. Some really funny stories mixed in with serious comments and thoughts from the likeable Lancastrian.
Typical David Lloyd cricket book. Some really funny stories mixed in with serious comments and thoughts from the likeable Lancastrian.
September 23, 2022
A humorous sporting autobiography told in typical Bumble style, honest about his career ups and down, but felt slightly meandered toward the end, so only 4 stars
February 4, 2017
Meh. So so.
January 10, 2017
Surely someone involved in sport can write a decent autobiography? David Lloyd has an engaging personality as a TV presenter, and has had a varied career, but it doesn't help this book. The story of his early life - although undoubtedly true - is full of cliches, and the rest of the book is less autobiography and more a series of musings on various aspects of cricket, past and present. It's all quite readable, but I didn't get a feel for the man himself. I guess that a big part of the problem is that it's written 'with' someone, so you're hearing Bumble through a filter, and perhaps this removes the immediacy of what is being said. It reads like one long interview, not an autobiography.
May 24, 2019
I love Bumble, but this was disappointing.
December 8, 2017
I have to agree with the review from Ian in that the book was something of a disappointment. As a Life member at Lancashire Cricket Club who has heard David doing after dinner speaking as well as his Sky commentaries I was really looking forward to this book. However after a promising start about his early life in Accrington the book rather fizzled out with no clear pattern of the message trying to be put over. Afraid I would have to say "give it a miss"
January 1, 2016
I am a huge fan of David Lloyd, who as a commentator for Sky TV delivers his observations with passion, pragmatism and a playful sense of humour. As a player he was a dogged fighter and as a coach he was an innovator ahead of his time. I read his last book, Start the Car: The World According to Bumble, a few years ago and really enjoyed his wry observations on cricket and life in general. This book is billed as an autobiography, but in reality is a mixture of autobiography and opinion never quite fulfilling its billing.
The title of the book comes from his working class upbringing in Accrington, Lancashire, where Friday night was bath night and the youngest member of the family was the last to use the communal water. Lloyd gives some lovely anecdotes from this period of his life and takes us through his cricket career as both player and coach then later as commentator. Lloyd uses the last quarter of the book to give his views on the England team set up and the current state of the game across the world. He sets out his position very persuasively amply demonstrating his no-nonsense and common-sense approach to situations – particularly around cricket politics. But we find out little more about the man outside of the game. This may have been deliberate on Lloyd’s part to keep his family life private and concentrate this book on his life inside cricket and his philosophy on the game. Lloyd is never short of an opinion and he eloquently states his case on the issues surrounding the game today.
Whilst as an autobiography Last in the Tin Bath lacks the depth one might expect, it remains an entertaining and even thought-provoking read for cricket lovers out there.
The title of the book comes from his working class upbringing in Accrington, Lancashire, where Friday night was bath night and the youngest member of the family was the last to use the communal water. Lloyd gives some lovely anecdotes from this period of his life and takes us through his cricket career as both player and coach then later as commentator. Lloyd uses the last quarter of the book to give his views on the England team set up and the current state of the game across the world. He sets out his position very persuasively amply demonstrating his no-nonsense and common-sense approach to situations – particularly around cricket politics. But we find out little more about the man outside of the game. This may have been deliberate on Lloyd’s part to keep his family life private and concentrate this book on his life inside cricket and his philosophy on the game. Lloyd is never short of an opinion and he eloquently states his case on the issues surrounding the game today.
Whilst as an autobiography Last in the Tin Bath lacks the depth one might expect, it remains an entertaining and even thought-provoking read for cricket lovers out there.
May 22, 2016
I was very disappointed with this and agree with many of the other reviews I have read here.
It reads as a very run-of-the-mill sports autobiography, but sadly Lloyd never really gives in-depth insight about his playing days, relying on a handful of facts and small opinion.
However, the book is mainly let down by its structure. It starts off well, with a good section about Lloyd's upbringing in Accrington, but as the book continues it evolves into an extended opinion piece on the recent history and current state of English cricket. Again, this section adds no particular insight and reads more as journalism than autobiography. It feels like a missed opportunity to give a great overview of his days as an umpire and more details of his broadcasting career, for which he is probably best known.
A real shame that this book, which started with potential, peters out so quickly - I almost didn't finish it.
It reads as a very run-of-the-mill sports autobiography, but sadly Lloyd never really gives in-depth insight about his playing days, relying on a handful of facts and small opinion.
However, the book is mainly let down by its structure. It starts off well, with a good section about Lloyd's upbringing in Accrington, but as the book continues it evolves into an extended opinion piece on the recent history and current state of English cricket. Again, this section adds no particular insight and reads more as journalism than autobiography. It feels like a missed opportunity to give a great overview of his days as an umpire and more details of his broadcasting career, for which he is probably best known.
A real shame that this book, which started with potential, peters out so quickly - I almost didn't finish it.
August 31, 2016
An enjoyable summer read. Don't really read auto/biographies, so this made a change. Love Bumble & love cricket, so expected to love the book. Generally good, with some interesting tales, although some of the writing was a bit 'clunky' for my liking.
May 3, 2016
Bumble is an amiable fellow but it doesn't translate into print all that well. Some very good anecdotes but it's not really a coherent book. Slightly disappointed.
July 31, 2016
Self satisfied and dull.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews