The Good Shepherd

Why he even has a house named after him — Shepherd’s Rest, 112 D F Milan Avenue, Littleton Manor, Centurion — because of his habit of hopping when the score was on the dreaded ’Nelson’ 111. That, however, is another story.

He stood in three World Cup finals, the last two where Australia’s domination was awesome. Few will forget his admonishment of Pakistan captain Waqar Younis at The Wanderers in Johannesburg in their opening World Cup game 2003.

Three deliberate beamers at Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds found Shepherd ordering Waqar out of the attack and a finger wagging ‘We’ll have none of that nonsense’ comment that Waqar later admitted he deserved.

That was a mark of Shepherd’s charisma, reflected again during his 92nd and last Test at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica. Test players tell you how his quirky humour and touches of fun endeared him as one of their favourites. Apart from a players’ guard of honour at Sabina Park, Brian Lara handed him a signed bat as a token.

The ICC’s elite panel took some years to evolve and, when it did, they managed to get the right mix. Shep though, as with most English umpires, is respected for his honesty in making decisions. Umpires don’t always get it right but Shep is one who readily admits when he gets it wrong. Also, he is not one of those who thinks that he is bigger than the game.

In conversation once in 2003, Viv Richards and Alec Stewart offered a series of Shep-related anecdotes. One involved Ian Botham when batting in a Sunday charity game in 1981, his debut season on the first-class panel. Botham had reached a swift 111 and Shep stood still.

‘‘What’s up, Shep? No two-step today?’’ asked Botham. ‘‘Not like you.’’

‘‘Last time I did it when you were batting on 111, you were out.’’

‘‘Oh, don’t worry about that. It’s only a charity game. I’m going to get a quick 150 and then declare.’’

Botham was out in the next over, still on 111; Shep gave him out caught behind.

Umpiring skills, though, need to be carefully cultivated. Not all current ICC elite panel or Test umpires are former first-class players. Yet they achieve the standard through hard work and devotion to the game. It is so easy for critics to check TV monitors and air opinions, especially on lbw decisions and feel the umpire gets it wrong.

Yet the angle of the camera is not at ground level where the umpire stands.

Graham Gooch complained how poor umpiring decisions in the Test series in India in 1981/82 partly led him to accepting the rebel tour route. He felt players were being marginalised by poor umpiring levels, worldwide, citing the West Indies tour of New Zealand in 1979/80 as another example. He also argued how Australian umpires often favoured ‘home’ players. They were days when Test umpiring was held up to ridicule.

That era has long passed and the quality and standards of umpiring values is improving through the knowledge that those who want to reach the ICC elite panel have a lot of work to do. There is a lot more to it than earning respect. All members of the elite and ICC international panels know they have reached that level through their competency in applying the 42 laws fairly (and the unwritten Law 43 — common sense); and making decisions fairly.

It is why those such as David Shepherd have turned umpiring into the dignified job it is; one without fear or favour.