DAVID LLOYD, the England cricket coach, has been severely reprimanded for his emotional behaviour in the aftermath of the first Test match in Bulawayo just over a week ago, when he upset the Zimbabwean team, a local cricket official and supporters of both sides with inflammatory words and gestures.

Ian MacLaurin, the chairman of the newly formed England and Wales Cricket Board, and Tim Lamb, the chief executive, confirmed in Harare yesterday that Lloyd had been spoken to

by both of them, and that ``appropriate action'' had been taken. What this was, they declined to reveal, but it is believed that Lloyd has been warned that any repetition will cost him his job.

At first, it was thought that Lloyd had merely confined his outburst to journalists. ``We flippin' murdered 'em,'' he kept repeating. ``Hammered them. Bloody steamrollered them. They know it and we know it.'' Then, however, despite the tour manager John Barclay's official denial of involvement with the match referee, it emerged that the referee, Hanumant Singh, had adjudicated on a verbal exchange between Lloyd and a Mashonaland cricket official, after which Lloyd had apologised. Singh declared that the matter had been ``amicably resolved'' and took no action.

Subsequently, it transpired that Lloyd's behaviour may have been even worse, involving

V-signs and other gestures at players and supporters. One middle-aged female England supporter said in Harare yesterday: ``I was disgusted. The man was a disgrace.''

Lloyd's outburst also embarrassed several England players into not venturing into the Zimbabwean dressing-room, as they had intended, to join in the traditional post-match drink. It was also reported that Ian Botham, here both as a television commentator and unpaid bowling coach, had had to physically restrain Lloyd inside the visitors' dressing-room.

MacLaurin said yesterday: ``This matter is a concern for everyone involved in cricket. We have talked about it with Lloyd, and taken the appropriate action. The PR side of cricket is a matter of the utmost importance.''