Lives in Cricket No 10 - John Shepherd

the first. Rhodesia had declared independence from Britain unilaterally in 1965 and declared itself to be an independent republic in 1969. However, other than South Africa and Portugal, no country recognised Rhodesia as legitimate and United Nations and other sanctions applied. The Wanderers tour was borderline ‘sanctions-busting’ – although none of the cricketers realised this at the time. The cricket-related implications of sanctions were limited as Rhodesia was in a cricketing sense a part of South Africa and played as a ‘pseudo-province’ in South African domestic tournaments. In the past, pre-UDI, English counties had made occasional tours in the country but it was not until 1972 that an overseas team had played in Rhodesia, although, as we have seen, Garry Sobers unwittingly stirred up a huge controversy when he visited and played in the country briefly in 1970. The International Wanderers team, which had visited in September 1972, played only three matches but it included in its party Basil D’Oliveira – the symbolism of his involvement was unlikely to have been missed by supporters of an open approach to cricket in southern Africa around the world! The 1974 tour party played five matches in Rhodesia and one in Johannesburg against Transvaal and won them all. Shepherd played particularly well in the two first-class matches, scoring 30 and 71* and taking two for 56 and four for 37 versus Rhodesia and scoring a first-innings 63* and taking three for 61 and none for 27 versus Transvaal. Honorary White 73 John Shepherd in conversation with Rhodesia’s Prime Minister, Ian Smith, at the Police Ground in Salisbury in September 1974. From left to right: Glenn Turner, Tony Greig, Graham Roope, Younis Ahmed, John Shepherd, Eddie Barlow, Mike Harris, Tony Brown, Peter Sainsbury, Jack Simmons, Ian Smith, Roger Tolchard, Janet Smith and Brian Close.