DAVID LLOYD has revealed how his move to Derbyshire helped him stay in the game.

The 31-year-old former Brymbo all-rounder left Glamorgan, where he had been since a junior, to become Derbyshire’s new captain.

“The last couple of years have been quite difficult, in terms of coping with the game and having two young kids,” Lloyd told BBC Sport.

“It added more pressure on. It’s like any profession, but you want to do as well as you can and if I don’t, what if?

“It is difficult because you are away. I’m not saying cricket is different to other jobs, but you miss out. We had no family support down in Cardiff, it is four hours away.

“My wife was by herself looking after the kids and it’s hard for her, so you feel like you need to help out, but then cricket is your job.

“Sometimes you have no time to get away from the game and just forget cricket. The last few years, you’re constantly thinking cricket, cricket, cricket.

“You can get caught up in the whirlwind of the fixtures and flip between formats, it can be difficult.

“Having captained the last few years, you sometimes lose track of your own well-being because you’re trying to please everyone else. You can fall into that rut of forgetting about yourself.

“I isolated myself from my team-mates and my family. I didn’t speak to anyone and that built up over time.

“It got to a point where I just couldn’t cope. Sometimes you feel like everything’s against you when you get to a low level of self esteem and confidence.

“I didn’t want to play anymore. I wanted to pack up and give up.

“I sat down with my wife and said, ‘What do I do?’ I knew I could still perform, but my energy was all gone.

“We thought maybe a fresh start would be an option before giving up.

“I’m so glad I’ve moved to Derbyshire because I’ve still got a lot more to offer. Mickey [Arthur] and Derbyshire have been fantastic to me and my family. It’s a new lease of life.

“It wasn’t anything to do with Glamorgan. Mentally, it was a lot do with having kids and your whole way of looking at life changes.

“It made me open my eyes on looking after them and trying to give them the best upbringing I can. A new challenge closer to our family home, in Wrexham, was what we needed.”

Meanwhile, Lloyd was on the losing side as Lancashire inflicted a second defeat in three matches for Derbyshire when they eased to a comfortable 57-run victory at Old Trafford in the Vitality Blast.