Lives in Cricket No 10 - John Shepherd

runs in all matches, his highest season’s tally since 1978. In early August Gloucestershire played a NatWest Trophy quarter-final against Middlesex at Bristol. They dismissed their opponents for 215 with Shepherd taking two wickets and at 161 for four they were on track for a comfortable victory, but a late-order collapse and a couple of run-outs eventually saw Middlesex home by three runs. It was quiet in the dressing room after the match and the ‘old pro’ Shep was particularly despondent when the Chairman of the Gloucestershire Cricket Committee came in and brightly said: ‘Bad luck lads – we gave them a game.’ The usually mild Shepherd exploded at this rather condescending encouragement: ‘We’re not ****ing paid to give people games – we’re paid to win!’ he said. Third Innings 109 A milestone reached. John Shepherd with the scorecard showing his one-thousandth wicket in first-class cricket and the ball he used. He dismissed Roland Butcher for 173 in the match Gloucestershire v Middlesex at Cheltenham on 12 August 1982.