Shepherd had a reasonably successful, though late-starting, first class playing career for Gloucestershire, stretching from 1965 to 1979, and though he never came close to international selection he was popular both with his team-mates and the Gloucestershire supporters. He started with a bang, scoring 108 on debut against Oxford University, and made eleven more hundreds over the years, though only twice (in 1969 and 1975) did he average over 30. Never the slimmest of men even in his younger days, he relied more on his fine shot placement than speed across the ground, and his bowling was almost non-existent: he took only two wickets in his entire career. One famous incident at the Gloucestershire Cricket Club saw Shepherd hitting the ball so hard into the crowd that it knocked out a spectator reading a newspaper. The spectator was taken to hospital and recovered with only minor injuries.
In 1981, David Shepherd began his second career in cricket, and the one which was to make him world-famous, when he was appointed as a first-class umpire. Quickly recognised as being one of the fairest-minded and most able officials in the game, within two years he was part of the umpiring panel for the 1983 World Cup, and within four he was standing in his first Test: the fourth Test of the 1985 Ashes series at Old Trafford. Standing with him in this test was Dickie Bird.
From then on, Shepherd became a fixture on the international scene, his round figure instantly recognisable by players and spectators alike. Perhaps his most famous quirk was his habit of lifting one foot off the ground whenever the score reached 111, or multiples thereof, they being regarded as unlucky by Shepherd in a ritual dating back to his childhood cricket team days. The number 111 is known as the "Nelson", and is considered unlucky towards the Batsman. This superstition has been the major focus of many pieces of sporting artwork, including a statue dedicated to him near Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Also famous was his tendency to shake his hand while signalling fours; to this day, many fans in cricket crowds mimic his action while celebrating fours.
He was part of the ICC's first panel of neutral umpires when this policy was adopted for international cricket in the 1990s, and retained his place unbroken until his retirement from umpiring in 2005.
As his retirement loomed, Shepherd was lauded wherever he went. He was given a guard of honour by the New Zealand and Australian teams during the series between the two countries in March 2005. After his last Test, that between West Indies and Pakistan at Kingston, Jamaica in early June, Shepherd was presented with a bat by West Indian captain Brian Lara. He was in fact given special dispensation by the ICC to umpire in an England Test at Lords as his final Test, but turned down the opportunity to maintain the ICC's neutral umpiring policy for Test matches.
Shepherd was awarded the MBE for services to cricket in 1987, and he became the President of his home county club Devon in 2006.
Shepherd was born in Bideford, Devon and latterly lived in the nearby seaside village of Instow. He married his long time partner, Jenny, in 2008. He died on 27 October 2009 after a long struggle with cancer.
Shepherd, widely regarded as one of the best umpires of his generation, stood in 92 Tests and 172 one-day internationals, including three World Cup finals, between 1983-2005.
He was perhaps best known to cricket fans around the world for his superstitious habit of standing on one leg when the score reached 'Nelson', England's supposedly 'unlucky' number of 111 or multiples such as 222.
'I feel very saddened this has happened,' Dickie Bird, who umpired many matches alongside his fellow Englishman, told Sky Sports.
'He was a fine umpire, we spent many happy hours together. He was a great man and a tremendous man to umpire with. He was a good bloke, he'll be sadly missed and he was a great friend.'
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