Lives in Cricket No 10 - John Shepherd

Chapter Seven Kent: The Final Years He has, in my opinion, given the best value of any overseas player to play in English County cricket. The service he has given Kent on the field is tremendous. The service he has given off the field, with his modesty, good manners and sense of humour, may be worth even more. When he retires it will be terribly hard to replace him – perhaps impossible – for he has been the heart of this side for 12 years – years in which we have accomplished so much. Colin Page, Kent Cricket Manager, February 1980 134 1979 By the beginning of the 1979 season John Shepherd, newly acclaimed as one of Wisden ’s five ‘Cricketers of the Year’, and the Kent beneficiary for the year, had played 301 first-class matches, scoring 9,746 runs (at 26.19 including seven centuries) and taking 847 wickets (at 26.21 including five wickets in an innings 45 times). Of all the players in county cricket in 1979 only fourteen had taken more wickets in their careers to date than Shep and only five of these could be seen to be genuine allrounders (Tony Greig, Ray Illingworth, Intikhab Alam, Fred Titmus and Mike Procter – distinguished company). In addition, of course, Shepherd had played twelve seasons of top-flight one-day cricket for Kent scoring over 3,000 runs and taking over 250 wickets. If ever anyone had earned that benefit it was Shepherd. Preparation for the benefit began over the 1978/79 winter, and this meant that a third season at Footscray was not possible. All of Shep’s efforts and those of the team of helpers he recruited were directed towards the task of having a successful benefit. ‘Semi-feudal’ 135 the system might have been but, as a source of funds to assure a loyal county cricketer some financial security once his cricket days were over, it was essential – especially as the money raised was not liable to income or other taxes. The main source of funds was the so-called ‘pontoon jars’ which were placed on the bars at pubs and clubs across the county – with the agreement of their landlords. They were basically lucky-dip draws with a top prize of £10 and with 99 134 Interview given to Jack Beaumont of the London Press Service. 135 Bob Willis, with Patrick Murphy, Cricket Revolution , Book Club Associates, 1981.