Most players cheat, says Shepherd

As cricket stands at the crossroads of another crisis, one of the most trusted, respected and loved umpires, David Shepherd of England says most of the current players are involved in cheating.

"Now, sadly, most players are at it, especially in Tests. Often they don't consider they are cheating, presenting their behaviour as part of the games ritual," Shepherd writes in his new book 'SHEP my autobiography'.

Shepherd says this is in sharp contrast to the time when he himself played cricket.

"The players were competitive but played the game with respect, in good spirit and honestly. If anyone cheated, it was very rare."

Shepherd officiating in a match has been a comforting influence on almost every cricketer, from England to Australia and India to South Africa.

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is said to have named him his favourite umpire and Shepherd returns the compliment.

"And my best batsman overall? I am tempted, despite all the wondrous compeition, to go for Sachin Tendulkar," the veteran umpire writes in the book.

"Many of his runs, I accept, have been scored on the sub-continent, but he has never allowed the slow bowlers to dominate. He plays the great ones, like (Shane) Warne, perfectly. I can find little fault with either his technique on the field or his disposition off it."

Mail Cricket Editor