David Shepherd (umpire) facts for kids

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David Shepherd

Personal information
Full name	David Robert Shepherd
Born	(1940-12-27)27 December 1940 Bideford, Devon, England
Died	27 October 2009(2009-10-27) (aged 68) Instow, Devon, England
Nickname	Shep
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Umpire
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1965–1979	Gloucestershire
Umpiring information
Tests umpired	92 (1985–2005)
ODIs umpired	172 (1983–2005)
Career statistics
Competition First-class LA Matches 282 183 Runs scored 10,672 3,330 Batting average 24.47 21.34 100s/50s 12/55 1/13 Top score 153 100 Balls bowled 196 12 Wickets 2 0 Bowling average 53.00 – 5 wickets in innings 0 – 10 wickets in match 0 – Best bowling 1/1 – Catches/stumpings 95/– 34/–
Source: Cricinfo, 8 September 2007

David Robert Shepherd (born December 27, 1940 – died October 27, 2009) was a famous English cricket player and later one of the world's best-known umpires. He played county cricket for Gloucestershire. After his playing career, he became an umpire, standing in 92 Test matches. This was the most for any English umpire. He also umpired 172 One Day Internationals (ODIs), including three World Cup finals in a row (1996, 1999, and 2003). He was awarded the MBE for his services to cricket.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

David Shepherd was born in Bideford, a town in Devon, England. His father, Herbert, was a sub-postmaster and had played cricket and rugby. David's brother, Bill, also played cricket.

David went to Barnstaple Grammar School. He played for the school's main cricket team from a young age and became the head boy. He then studied at St Luke's College, Exeter. He also played cricket for Devon Colts and England Schools. Before becoming a professional player, he worked as a teacher in Bideford and Ilfracombe. He also played for Devon from 1959 to 1964.

Playing Career

David Shepherd started his professional playing career for Gloucestershire in 1965. He was mainly a middle-order batsman. He began with a great start, scoring 108 runs in his very first match against Oxford University. Over the years, he scored twelve centuries (100 runs or more).

He was known for hitting the ball very hard. Once, he hit the ball into the crowd so powerfully that it accidentally hit a spectator who was reading a newspaper. The person was taken to the hospital but only had minor injuries. David Shepherd played for Gloucestershire until 1979.

Becoming a Famous Umpire

After he stopped playing cricket in 1979, David Shepherd decided to become an umpire. He started as a first-class umpire in 1981. People quickly saw that he was fair and very good at his job.

Just two years later, he was chosen to be an umpire for the 1983 Cricket World Cup. In 1985, he stood in his first Test match, which was part of The Ashes series at Old Trafford. From then on, David Shepherd became a well-known figure in international cricket. His friendly personality made him popular with players and fans.

Shepherd's Quirks and Superstitions

David Shepherd was famous for some unique habits:

• The "Nelson" Superstition: Whenever the score in a match reached 111, or any multiple of 111 (like 222 or 333), he would lift one foot off the ground. The number 111 is known as "Nelson" in cricket and is considered unlucky for the batsman. This habit started from his childhood cricket days.
• Friday the 13th: On Friday 13th, he would tie a matchstick to one of his fingers. This was his way of "touching wood" all day for good luck.
• Shaking Hand for Fours: When he signaled a four (a boundary where the ball reaches the fence), he would shake his hand. Many fans still copy this action when celebrating fours.

Tough Decisions and Retirement

Shepherd was also known for being firm when needed. For example, during the 2003 Cricket World Cup, he warned Pakistan's captain, Waqar Younis, for bowling dangerous "beamers" (a ball that reaches the batsman at waist or head height without bouncing). When Waqar broke the rule again, Shepherd ordered him to stop bowling. This was the first time an umpire had done this in an international match.

In 2001, he faced some criticism from the media. However, he was still chosen for the ICC's first group of top neutral umpires in 2002. He stayed on this panel until he retired from umpiring in 2005.

As his retirement got closer, David Shepherd was praised everywhere he went. The teams from New Zealand and Australia gave him a special "guard of honour" in 2005. After his last Test match in June 2005, the West Indies captain, Brian Lara, gave him a bat as a gift. He was even offered special permission to umpire in an Ashes match at Lord's as his final game. However, he said no to keep the ICC's rule of having neutral umpires for Test matches.

Another umpire, Simon Taufel, said that Shepherd was great at making players feel comfortable and building strong friendships with players from all over the world. Many people believe that David Shepherd truly showed what the "Spirit of Cricket" is all about – playing fairly and with respect.

In 1997, David Shepherd was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to cricket. In 2006, he became the President of his home county club, Devon. He was also the first umpire to officiate in at least one Test match in every country that played Test cricket at that time.

Later Life

After retiring, David Shepherd moved back to the seaside village of Instow in Devon. He sometimes helped out at his brother's post office. In 2008, he married Jenny, his partner since 1973. David Shepherd passed away from lung cancer on October 27, 2009, in Devon.

See also

• David Shepherd Trophy
• List of Test cricket umpires
• List of One Day International cricket umpires