Cricinfo - Players and Officials

Full name David Robert Shepherd
Born December 27, 1940, Bideford, Devon
Current age 67 years 247 days
Major teams Gloucestershire
Nickname Shep
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Other Umpire
Height 5 ft 10 in
Education Barnstaple Grammar School; St Luke's College, Exeter

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

First-class

282

476

10672

153

24.47

List A

183

173

3330

100

21.34

Bowling averages

Mat

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

First-class

282

196

106

1/1

53.00

3.24

98.0

List A

183

7.00

Career statistics

First-class span

1965 - 1979

List A span

1965 - 1979

Umpiring statistics

Test debut

England v Australia at Manchester, Aug 1-6, 1985 scorecard

Last Test

West Indies v Pakistan at Kingston, Jun 3-7, 2005 scorecard

Test matches

Test statistics

ODI debut

Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Swansea, Jun 9, 1983 scorecard

Last ODI

England v Australia at The Oval, Jul 12, 2005 scorecard

ODI matches

172

ODI statistics

One of the most respected and liked umpires in international cricket, David Shepherd was born and bred in Devon, and although he has travelled the world plying his trade, he has always been true to his West Country roots. Instantly recognisable, the genial Shepherd is one of the most popular and highly-respected umpires. He is possibly best known for his aversion to the dreaded Nelson, but that disguises the fact that he is a fair and competent official, as shown by the fact the he stood in three successive World Cup finals (1996, 1999, 2003) and six tournaments overall.

As a player, he was immensely popular, his roly-poly figure again hidinmg his worth to Gloucestershire as a pugnacious middle-order batsman who contributed to the side both on and off the field. He made his county debut late - he was 25 - after dabbling in teaching, and smashed a hundred on debut. Despite his bulk, which made him something of a liability in the field, he excelled at the one-day game where his placing of shots compensated for his lack of speed between the wickets.

"It is not only his build, though that calls the deep rooted countryman to mind," wrote Geoffrey Moorhouse. "His bottom hand is clamped massively just above the shoulder of the bat,, as some ancestor probably held a scythe, or possibly a blacksmith's maul. He stands ... head scanning the field of play the way men do by gates when they are contemplating crops.

He was appointed as a first-class umpire in 1981 and the speed of his elevation to the international stage was evidence of his ability and the regard in which he was, and still is, held. In 2005 he umpires his last Test match and then umpired his final international game - England v Australia at The Oval - before fittingly ending his career at Bristol.

Umpiring Career

Commenced first-class umpiring 1981.
Commenced Test match umpiring in 1985.
Officiated in:
1983 World cup (England);
1987 World Cup (India/Pakistan);
1992 World Cup (Australia/New Zealand);
1996 World Cup (India/Pakistan/Sri Lanka) including the final;
1999 World Cup (England) including the final;
2003 World Cup (South Africa) including the final;
Two Tests South Africa v India in 1992/93 during the ICC/National Grid pilot scheme
Appointed to the National Grid Panel 1994.

Cricinfo staff

Jul 12, 2005

Darren Gough shakes David Shepherd's hand as the umpire bows out of international cricket © Getty Images

Jul 11, 2005

Umpire David Shepherd relaxes at The Oval, before his final match © Getty Images

Jul 11, 2005

David Shepherd in front of The Oval © Getty Images

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