The end of an innings

A lot of other people have done this already, and have probably said all that's worth saying about the late, great David Shepherd (here's a partial list of tributes, collected by Cricinfo). His death was sudden, but not entirely unexpected (he was 68, but had been fighting lung cancer for years). He'd been out of the public eye for a long time, having stood in his final match in July of 2005 before retreating into a comfortable and richly-deserved retirement, but it was impossible to forget Shep. He was larger than life (literally as well as figuratively, although his less-than-svelte figure impeded neither his playing nor his much more high-profile umpiring career) and one of the few elite umpires who was not only known by just about everyone but universally loved. Players adored him, even if his decisions went against them; it was not uncommon to see Shep walking off the field at the end of play with a member of the fielding side accompanying him, one arm slung companionably over his shoulders, talking and laughing. Almost more importantly, he was respected; possibly more than any other umpire except the venerable Dickie Bird, who was one of his closest friends. There were never doubts about Shep's integrity.

As spectators, it was impossible not to share the love. I was far more affected than I thought I would be by his death, especially since it seems to mark the passing of an era. Some of the best-loved figures in the game have retired or, sadly, passed away, and replacements of the same calibre don't seem to be readily forthcoming. Or maybe it just feels that way. In any case, there won't be another one like Shep anytime soon. He really was that special.

David Robert 'Shep' Shepherd (27 December 1940 – 27 October 2009)