Former Western Australian and Australian Test cricketer Barry Shepherd passed away on Monday night after a long battle with illness.

Shepherd, 64, participated in nine Tests for his country between 1962 and 1965, hitting his top score of 96 against South Africa in Melbourne in January 1964. He registered five half-centuries in all and finished his career at the elite level with 502 runs at an average of 41.83.

A powerful left handed batsman, he was also an outstanding player for Western Australia over the 11 year period between 1955-56 and 1965-66. Before retiring at the age of 28 to pursue a career in the finance industry, he participated in a total of 87 first-class matches for the Sandgropers, serving as captain in 35 of those, and playing a leading role in enhancing the development of a number of younger players in the side.

He did not play in a winning Sheffield Shield team but was widely credited as being one of the architects behind the state's triumph in 1967-68 and the golden run of success that that victory helped to spark in subsequent decades.

Shepherd was also an outstanding administrator, firstly in his home state as a member of the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA)'s Executive Committee. He assumed that role for the first time in 1979, thus beginning an off-field career in cricket that was to last for another 21 years.

He was awarded Life Membership of the WACA in 1985 and, three years later, accepted a role as a Director at the Australian Cricket Board. He continued in that post for 12 years, serving on the Board's Executive, Umpires Appointments and Interstate Cricket committees.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd