Lloyd steps down as Derbyshire captain

David Lloyd joined Derbyshire from Glamorgan in 2023

David Lloyd has stepped down as Derbyshire captain so he can focus on his own performances as a top-order batter.

The 32-year-old was skipper at the County Ground for just one season.

He took his first-class tally of runs to over 5,500 after scoring 540 runs last season as Derbyshire finished bottom of the County Championship Division Two table.

He managed a total of 1,053 runs across all three formats in 2024, which included coming in as their second top scorer in the T20 Blast with 327 runs.

"This has not been an easy decision for me, but I have had a good group of friends, family and team-mates to confide in over this winter, and I believe this is what will allow me to focus on my game," Lloyd told the club website.

The Wrexham-raised batter, who captained Glamorgan before moving to Derbyshire, spoke about the struggles he has previously had dealing with the relentless nature of the summer cricket schedule.

"It has been an honour for me to captain Derbyshire, and I'm now looking forward to playing with less pressure on my shoulders," he said.

Derbyshire head coach Mickey Arthur, who signed a one-year contract extension with the club earlier this week, said Lloyd's "experience and leadership will still be invaluable" to the side even if he is not captain.

"David has given his all to the captaincy and he has been a fantastic leader for us, but the mental pressures of trying to lead a team, especially while you are trying to rediscover your own form, coupled with having a young family mean it's best for all parties if we take some of that weight off his shoulders," Arthur said.

Lloyd's successor as captain is yet to be named.