William Shepherd (English cricketer)

William Charles Shepherd (9 August 1840 – 27 May 1919) was an English first-class cricketer, active 1864–68. He played for Surrey. He was born in Kennington and died in Tooting. In 1868 he played and toured with the Australian Aboriginal Cricket team and between 1872-1895 he was the Dulwich College cricket professional (coach and groundsman). He was a left-hand batsman and left-arm medium bowler.

Surrey career

Batting averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct	St
First-class	13	17	6	56	18	5.09	0	0	8	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	5w	10
First-class	13	1733	709	38	8/49	18.65	2.45	45.6	2	0

Australian Aboriginal Cricket Tour

He was referred to Charles Lawrence by Surrey Secretary William Burrup, at the annual dinner of the Surrey Club. Lawrence engaged Shepherd to travel with the Australian Aboriginal Cricket to tour England in 1868 as umpire, assistant and emergency player-captain. He represented the Aborigines on seven occasions, one as captain, with moderate success, scoring 66 runs at an average of 11 and taking 6 wickets at an average of 20.7.

Final years

Shepherd frequented the Oval in his declining years, retailing cricketing memories to bystanders. His nostalgic and not always accurate version of the Aboriginal tour was published in 1919, the year of his death.