Glamorgan will return to County Championship action on Monday when they host Leicestershire at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

It will be the start of a long goodbye for club captain David Lloyd, who has confirmed he is to leave the Welsh county at the end of the season.

All-rounder Lloyd – who has played over 200 games for the club across all three formats – is set to join Derbyshire next season.

It means a 15-year association with Glamorgan for the 31-year-old will come to an end.

Lloyd scored a triple-century at Sophia Gardens last year against Derbyshire, striking the highest score by a Glamorgan captain, and Welshman, in the process.

Lloyd said: “Glamorgan has been my life for so long and I’ve made friendships that will last forever.

“It has been a difficult decision to decide to leave but the opportunity to relocate and play closer to home in North Wales is what’s best for my young family moving forward.

“I’m very grateful to have represented Glamorgan and honoured to have captained this group. I owe a lot to Matthew Maynard, who’s been a great leader and friend to me, and to so many others who’ve helped me during my time at the club.

“I would also like to thank Mark Wallace and the rest of the Glamorgan staff, players, and supporters for all their support over the years.

“I look forward to finishing the season on a high and striving for promotion into the first division.”

The news is a boost for Derbyshire, who have had a disappointing first half of the summer. They missed out on the quarter-finals of the Blast with six wins and seven defeats, and are bottom of the second division of the County Championship after a winless start to the season.

Mickey Arthur, their head of cricket, said: “David is an experienced county cricketer and one who will bring a great level of leadership and ability into our squad. He has scored runs consistently throughout his career and gives us a different dimension at the top of the order.

“David’s recruitment was key to our long-term plans and by getting the contract signed early, we’ve got time to continue shaping our squad ahead of next summer.”

Mark Wallace, Glamorgan’s director of cricket, said: “We will miss having David at the club both on and off the field but we fully respect and understand his decision to move closer to home for the benefit of his family.”