Lives in Cricket No 10 - John Shepherd

experienced any discrimination because of his colour. Kent County Cricket Club, and the world surrounding it, were truly welcoming places in those days. The Kent terms of employment covered the cricket season but, in the winter, players were expected to find employment and income to tide them through to the next season. And for John Shepherd this had to be local: he had to remain living in the county for two full years in order to qualify. He tried helping bring in the hops at harvest time – but lasted only one morning before the cold of an October day in the hop garden got the better of him. Through a St Lawrence CC friend he found a job at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital as an orderly on the orthopaedic ward which lasted him through that first English winter. 1966 The promise of the first season was built upon in 1966 when Shepherd was again a constant in the Second Eleven, scoring in eighteen matches, 873 runs at 31.17, and taking 53 wickets at 20.20, achievements reported by Wisden as ‘grand all-round form’. He was described in the end of season report to Kent’s Cricket sub-Committee as the ‘outstanding player’ – an accolade justified by his performances. About his fielding this report was especially glowing, saying that ‘there can be few, if any, better allround fielders in first-class cricket today.’ A feature of Shepherd’s season was that he seems to have made a contribution in almost every match. If his batting failed he would chip in with wickets – and vice versa. His bowling was useful throughout the season, taking four or more wickets in an innings on seven occasions. One of these was Shepherd’s first-class debut in England (and only his second-ever first-class match) when he played for the full county side against Oxford University in June. Batting at six he put on 38 runs with Colin Cowdrey before falling lbw to John Easter – he also opened the Kent bowling in that match, taking four wickets in the University’s first innings and one in their second. 30 Kentish Apprentice Acclimatising in the English winter of 1965.