Umpire David Shepherd dies aged 68
David Shepherd - much loved umpire
Nowadays the umpire is viewed not as the gate-keeper of the integrity of the sport but, it seems, as an anachronistic, error-prone technophobe. David Shepherd is undoubtedly held as the former, well respected both by those within the game and those watching from their armchairs. So his death at the age of 68 will be mourned by all those who remember him so fondly.
As well as being a fine umpire, Shepherd played 15 years of first class cricket for Gloucestershire, and was a member of the team that won the Gillette Cup in 1973, the county’s first ever trophy.
In all, Shepherd stood in 92 Tests between 1983 and 2005, as well as 172 ODIs including three World Cup finals. His retirement marked the end of an era in many ways, as he was the last of the earlier generation of umpires who were as much a part of the character of the game as the players were. Modern sport does not allow for personality as it used to, and especially not amongst it’s officiators.
We will remember fondly the Nelson superstition, the friendly West-Country nature and the down-to-earth professionalism that Shepherd brought to his trade.
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