Shrimpton's first first-class century came in the last match of his debut season in 1961–62, when he scored 119, helping to save the game after Central Districts had trailed Canterbury by 230 runs on the first innings.

[2] Although he failed to reach 50 in the 1963–64 season he played one of the Tests against South Africa, making a pair.

He was selected to open for the New Zealand Cricket Council President's XI against the MCC a fortnight later and made 58 and 46.

He returned to New Zealand cricket in 1967–68 with enhanced bowling skills, but it was not until 1968–69 that he began to exploit them at first-class level.

Earlier he had taken his career-best figures of 6 for 40, off 29 overs, against Otago in Dunedin, which he followed with an innings of 82 out of 136 for 8 to enable Central Districts to escape with a draw after they had lost their first four wickets for 9.

[9] He holds the record for the number of runs scored in Hawke's Bay Cricket Association matches.

[12] The Shrimpton Trophy, named in his honour, is contested annually by the women's cricket teams representing Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Manawatū and Taranaki.