Profile: David Shepherd

One of cricket’s most respected and recognisable umpires, David Shepherd stood in 92 Test matches over 20 years and three successive World Cup finals in 1996, 1999 and 2003. He was involved with the game at first class and international level for 40 years from 1965.

Shepherd played 282 first class matches for Gloucestershire, enjoying a 14-year career which started with a 108 on debut versus Oxford University. Just two years after his retirement in 1979 Shepherd was appointed a first class umpire and his rapid promotion was complete in 1985 when he stood in his first Test – an Ashes encounter – alongside Dickie Bird.

Shepherd was an ever-present on the ICC’s elite umpire panel until his retirement from international cricket in 2005. The last Test Match he took charge of was West Indies against Pakistan at Kingston and the last ODI England versus Australia at the Oval.

In 2006 Shepherd was made President of his home county Devon and also was awarded honorary life membership of MCC, whose Laws he implemented.

He has called for the ICC to enlarge its elite panel of umpires to prevent the officials burning out in an era of increasing scrutiny of their decisions and large amounts of international travel. Shepherd has also advocated greater use of technology to support umpires and backs a system of referrals.