David Shepherd is no more

Posted on 28. Oct, 2009 by Sarthak in Sports

Shepherd and his trademark 'Nelson hop'

My all time favourite cricket umpire David Shepherd from England, has died at the age of 68 from prolonged lung cancer.

Shepherd stood in 92 Tests between 1983 and 2005 and 172 ODIs, including three consecutive World Cup finals, advancing England’s reputation, with Dickie Bird, for producing the finest umpires in the world. He was a romantic, sentimental man, especially when it came to cricket, and resented what he saw as examples of greed creeping into the modern game.

His superstitious habit of hopping on one leg when the team score or a batsman was on 111 or a multiple thereof – known as “Nelson” – endeared him to players and onlookers alike.

Most of ‘Shep’s’ performances were full of quiet efficiency, though he did consider retiring after a rare blunder in England’s 2001 Test at Old Trafford against Pakistan, when three English batsmen lost their wickets to deliveries that he should have called as no-balls.

After reassurances from friends, colleagues and players, he continued for another four years before finally stepping off the hectic treadmill of international cricket in 2005, at the age of 64. “At least the dog will be pleased to see me, I expect,” he said.

Its a great loss for the cricketing world.