Farewell, David Shepherd

David Shepherd
1940-2009

As a cricket fanatic since childhood, I was very sad to learn today that David Shepherd has died from lung cancer at the age of 68. He will always be associated in my mind with many of the high and low points of English test cricket, particularly in the 1980s. He was standing when Viv Richards kicked off the famous 1984 "Blackwash" tour with a breathtaking 189 not out in the first ODI (next highest score: Eldine Baptiste's 26!); he was standing in 1985 when David Gower's England retained the Ashes in the 5th test at Edgbaston (Gower, 215); and he was standing when the inevitable Aussie backlash began in 1989 with the humiliating defeat of England, once again led by David Gower, at Leeds (Steve Waugh's tour average: 126.50!).

These are just a few memories I will cherish of a wonderful, colourful era for a sport I will always love. With David Shepherd's passing, to me in some ways with him finally pass those happy days. He was comfortably my favourite umpire, not least because he seemed to be such a jolly man, but mainly because he was absolutely outstanding at his work, though always unobtrusive in the execution. Of course his superstitions about "Nelson", with the wonderful little jig it always prompted, were great for the crowd, but the real reason why people loved him is that he was trusted and respected by absolutely everyone - players and spectators alike.

There can be no higher praise for an umpire, or, come to that, for any man. And few deserve it more than he.

Swing Low

Or, rather, reverse swing. We're going to need more of this in Cardiff come Wednesday, that's for damn sure. Or the Aussies will murder us.


Bring it on!

Ashes Stuff

Gonna do a bit of this over the next few months in honour of the greatest competition in the world: The Ashes.

Some stories, clips and jokes every few days. And a big dose of Billy Birmingham which is the medicine we all need now and then, especially in these dark days :)

First: My hero in 1981



Great spell. Great man.
And now, Tony Greig and Bill Lawry commentate on England's ill-fated 2006-7 campaign, just to get the juices flowing.

Mike Brearley Googly for Draper

Sigmund Freud (padded-up)

Great England cricket captain and now highly respected psychoanalyst (Dr) Mike Brearley has bowled a cleverly disguised googly to convicted (in the court of public opinion) liar and smearer - and self-proclaimed practising psychotherapist - Derek Draper in the Guardian.

Buried in his typically terse, technical, direct but engaging prose is a fizzing, inswinging wrong-un for hapless rabbit, Dolly:

In her description of different therapies, Wilson combines "psychodynamic counselling/psychoanalysis". But there are fundamental differences between counselling techniques, even those with a basis in psychoanalytic theory, and those used by psychoanalysts - who receive the most rigorous training of any of the psychological therapy professionals and offer a much broader, more in-depth approach.

The article fails to inform readers of the importance of checking the credentials of the therapist they approach and ensuring that they belong to a reputable professional organisation that offers appropriate safeguards. Indeed some of the individuals and organisations mentioned in your supplements do not seem to provide such safeguards.

Howzat! LBW (Liar Before Wicket), this umpire says. A couple of comments below the article are worth repeating:

Practically anyone can get a job as a therapist in the UK - the government has CBT on the brain and Derek Draper on the books...

'MerkinOnParis' reveals. And, forgetting about DD for a moment, 'Persianwar' pleads with Dr Brearley to intervene in another tragic case:

please can you help Andrew Strauss to liberate himself from any deep-seated unconscious desire to edge balls outside [the] off-stump at some point between now and July.

Amen to that. Over to you, professor.

Mike Brearley: Googly

(No.10)DW Draper: ct.(in a lie)Fawkes
b. Fawkes, Brearley, Freud and everyone else..........0