Lives in Cricket No 10 - John Shepherd

Shepherd, to play cricket in southern Africa. This competition included two other non-white players – Mohamed Ilyas and Younis Ahmed, who played in defiance of a ban imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. A similar ban had been instituted by the cricket boards in India and the West Indies – so in a sense the three non-white participants in this brief tournament were the first cricketing rebels – the first actually to defy instructions from their respective cricketing authorities. During one of the matches on the ‘International Wanderers’ tour, in Salisbury, Shepherd was approached by Suman Mehta of the Indian (Hindu) Club and asked whether he would play for one of their members – the Sunrise Sports Club. When news of Shepherd’s acceptance of this offer leaked out there was a storm in the media in respect of the possibility that Shep might also play for Rhodesia. The President of the South African Cricket Association, Billy Woodin, said that Shepherd would not be allowed to play as a member of the Rhodesian team in South Africa because of his colour. This statement was eventually contradicted by South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Piet Koornhof, and, after a brief return visit to England, Shepherd and his wife flew back to Salisbury to take up the appointment with Sunrise: he was captain and coach as well as senior player. On a personal note, Terry Shepherd was pregnant throughout their stay with their daughter Caroline who was born, back in England, the following May. The Shepherds were provided with a good apartment in the up-market and exclusively white (apart from the servants) Baines Avenue in Salisbury. One Honorary White 75 D.H.Robins’ XI at Port Elizabeth in March 1975. Standing (l to r): Clive Radley, Younis Ahmed, Eddie Hemmings, Frank Hayes, Stuart Turner, Max Walker, Steve Rouse, Terry Jenner and Roger Tolchard. Seated: John Shepherd, John Hampshire, Brian Close (captain), Derrick Robins, Ken Barrington (manager), Don Bennett (coach) and Bruce Francis. On ground: Malcolm Francke and John Lyon (wk). Three other members of the side, Geoff Greenidge, Tony Greig and John Steele are absent from this picture.