Ross Shepherd – A Cricketing Craftsman
For many years he was a well-respected figure around the club – a highly accomplished cricketer, a thoughtful and successful captain, and a strong contributor beyond the playing fields -serving on the Management Committee between 1964/65 -1977/78
Ross Shepherd was a clubman of substance with the Parramatta District Cricket Club.
For many years he was a well-respected figure around the club – a highly accomplished cricketer, a thoughtful and successful captain, and a strong contributor beyond the playing fields -serving on the Management Committee between 1964/65 -1977/78, Publicity Officer 1967/68 - 1972/73, Club Secretary in 1978/79 Assistant Secretary 1978/79 - 80, and a long term club selector – but perhaps his best effort was recruiting Ron Wright to the club?
As a player Ross possessed a fine appreciation of the nuances of Premier Cricket. He was an astute and well performed all-rounder, a competent attacking right-handed batsman, cagey off-spinner who bowled very tightly, and in the later period of the 1960s operated as a fine foil to the gifted fellow spinner Bobby Aitken in the club’s First grade team, he was also a very sharp gully fieldsman.
Ross emerged as a shrewd captain – leading the First grade team from 1967/68 to 1972/73 (highlighted by winning the 1969/70 Minor premiership) and in 1972/73 skippered the Second grade team to Premiership honours.
His long and productive playing career with the Parramatta club commenced with A.W. Green Shield in 1955/56 (highlighted by taking 7/32 v. Waverley) and concluded with some cameo Fifth grade games in 1977/78 (in one of those Fifth grade matches against Waverley he claimed 8/43 and 3/23).
The 17–years-old Shepherd kicked his Premier Cricket career off in Fourth grade in 1956/57, described as a most attractive stroke-maker and useful medium pace bowler and after compiling 254 runs @ 36.29 (H.S. – 61 v. Petersham, 73 v. Randwick) he won promotion to Third grade.
He debuted in First grade in the 1958/59 becoming Parramatta 1st Grade Player Number 348.
But it wasn’t until 1964/65 that he finally established a permanent berth in the top side – largely due to the richness of spinners that Parramatta enjoyed in First grade at this period (the Benauds, the Aitken brothers, Chudleigh, Treanor and Wall). In a Belvidere Cup winning team Ross turning a very solid season with the bat making 299 runs @ 37.38 (H.S. – 63 v. Glebe, 52 v. Wests [Final]) and his off-spinners became an important element of the bowling attack and was rewarded with 24 wickets @ 27.92 (B.B. – 6/96 v. Northern District) – he captained the team to an outright win against Manly in his only match as skipper.
Afterwards he went on to captain the First grade team permanently between 1967/68 and 1972/73.
In a commendable First grade career – his fighting batting yielded 2,399 runs @ 18.31 (H.S. 86*), although not a big turner his subtle changes of pace and tightness yielded 237 wickets @ 21.44 (B.B. 6/96) and he accepted 76 catches. He scored four centuries for the club, 102* in Poidevin-Gray Shield, 103* in Fifth grade, 121 and 101* IN Second grade.
For his long service with the club Ross Shepherd was honoured with Life Membership in 2012.
By Tom Wood – Parramatta District Cricket Club Historian