Don Shepherd facts for kids
Shepherd in 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name |
Donald John Shepherd
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| Born | 12 August 1927 Port Eynon, Glamorgan, Wales |
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| Died | 18 August 2017 (aged 90) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Shep | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1950–1972 | Glamorgan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FC debut | 29 April 1950 Glamorgan v Surrey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last FC | 25 August 1972 Glamorgan v Surrey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LA debut | 12 June 1963 Glamorgan v Worcestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last LA | 3 September 1972 Glamorgan v Worcestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: CricketArchive, 20 February 2010
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Donald John Shepherd (born August 12, 1927, died August 18, 2017) was a famous Welsh cricketer. He played for the Glamorgan County Cricket Club. Don was known as one of the best bowlers in county cricket. He took an amazing 2,218 wickets in first-class matches. This is more than any other player who never played for their country in Test cricket.
Contents
Don Shepherd's Cricket Journey
Starting His Career
Shepherd began playing for Glamorgan in 1950. He started as a fast-medium bowler. By 1952, he was a regular player. That year, he took 120 wickets, which is a great achievement.
A Smart Change in Bowling Style
For the next three years, Don didn't do as well. He seemed to lose some control over his bowling. But in 1955, his teammates gave him some advice. He decided to change his bowling style.
He switched to bowling "off-cutters." These are a type of off-break delivery. He bowled them with a special spin and at a medium speed. This change worked perfectly for him.
Becoming a Top Bowler
In 1956, Don Shepherd took 177 wickets. This was more than any other player in English first-class cricket that season! He took over 100 wickets in 12 different seasons during his career.
When the cricket pitch was difficult, he was incredibly effective. Even on good pitches, his accurate bowling and quick delivery made it hard for batters to score runs.
Winning the County Championship
Don stayed fit and played well into his 40s. He was a key player for Glamorgan when they won the County Championship in 1969. This was a huge win for the team.
Because of his amazing performance, he was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1970. This is a very special award in cricket. He celebrated by taking 106 wickets in 1970. Again, this was more than anyone else in English first-class cricket.
Over his 23-year career (from 1950 to 1972), he took ten or more wickets in a match 28 times. He also took five or more wickets in an innings 123 times.
Don's Batting Skills
Even though Don was mainly a bowler, he sometimes batted higher up the order. This was because some of his teammates were not very strong batters. He averaged less than 10 runs per innings. He only scored 50 runs or more five times.
However, Don could hit the ball very hard. In 1961, he scored 51 runs in just 15 minutes against the Australians in Swansea. He reached that score with only 11 scoring shots! These included six sixes, three fours, a two, and a single run.
Also in 1961, he made his highest score of 73 runs against Derbyshire. He hit six sixes to reach 50 runs in just 16 minutes. He also helped Glamorgan beat the Australians in 1964 and 1968. He even captained the team to victory in 1968.
Later Years
Don Shepherd played regularly until the end of the 1971 season. He then retired from first-class cricket after a few games in 1972. After retiring, he often worked as a commentator. He would summarize Glamorgan matches for BBC Radio Wales.
Don Shepherd passed away on August 18, 2017. He died shortly after his 90th birthday.
