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Brian Charles Booth (19 October 1933 – 19 May 2023) was an Australian cricketer who played in 29 Test matches between 1961 and 1966, and 93 first-class matches for New South Wales. He captained
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in two Tests during the 1965–66 Ashes series while regular captain Bob Simpson was absent due to illness and injury. Booth was a graceful right-handed middle order batsman at No. 4 or 5, and occasionally bowled right arm medium pace or
off spin Off spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners bowl with their right-arm and a finger spin action. Their normal delivery is called an off break, which spins from left to r ...
. He had an inclination to use his feet to charge spin bowlers. Booth was known for his
sportsmanship Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, and with proper consideration for wikt:fairness, fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" r ...
on the field and often invoked
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
while discussing ethics and sport. Born near the
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
country town of Bathurst, Booth moved to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
in 1952 and played in the grade cricket competition while training to become a teacher. He made his first-class debut for the
New South Wales cricket team The New South Wales cricket team (formerly nicknamed NSW Blues) are an Australian men's professional first class cricket team based in the Australian state ofNew South Wales. The team competes in the Australian first class cricket competition ...
and came to prominence in dramatic circumstances in his second match, against the touring Englishmen in 1954–55. Due to late withdrawals, Booth was selected at late notice and had to be called from work on the morning of the match. Arriving after the start of the match, he scored 74 following a batting collapse. Booth struggled to make an impression early in his career and missed a season to train with the Australian
field hockey Field hockey (or simply referred to as hockey in some countries where ice hockey is not popular) is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalk ...
team for the 1956 Olympics in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
. Upon returning to first-class cricket in 1957–58, he held down a regular position in the state team while the Test players were touring overseas. Booth gradually progressed and gained selection on the 1959–60 Australian Second XI tour to New Zealand. Booth was selected for the Australian team that toured England in 1961 and played in the final two Tests. Upon his return to Australia, Booth made two centuries in the 1962–63 home Test series against England, establishing himself in the Test team. He made two further centuries the following summer against
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
and was named the Australian player of the year. Following the retirement of Richie Benaud, Booth was appointed vice-captain under Simpson as Australia embarked on a successful 1964 tour of England, which saw the retention of the Ashes. Booth played his final Test series in 1965–66 against England, captaining Australia in the First and Third Tests because Simpson was sidelined with a broken wrist and
chickenpox Chickenpox, also known as varicella ( ), is a highly contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpesvirus family. The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which ...
respectively. The First Test was drawn but Australia fell to its first innings defeat in almost ten years in the Third Test. As he was also in a form slump, Booth was dropped as the Australian selectors made mass changes, ending his career. In retirement, Booth returned to his teaching duties and served as a Baptist lay-preacher. He was inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame in 2014.


Early years

The son of "Snowy" Booth, a market gardener and talented country cricketer, Booth was born in Perthville, located outside the New South Wales regional town of Bathurst. His father hung pictures of
Don Bradman Sir Donald George Bradman (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), nicknamed "The Don", was an Australian international cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. His cricketing successes have been claimed by Shane ...
and Stan McCabe on the wall and told him that "these are the two greatest living cricketers".Haigh, p. 257. Booth represented Bathurst High School at the age of 13 and played first grade cricket in Bathurst at 15. He was selected for a New South Wales youth countryside at the age of just 14. In 1950, Booth represented New South Wales Country against a combined Sydney team, and moved to
St. George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
to play on a weekly basis two years later. He made the first grade team at the age of 19 and began a four-year course at Sydney Teachers College.Perry (2000), p. 246. Booth also played hockey in Perthville and began playing for St George upon his arrival in Sydney. Booth made his first-class debut for
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
against
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
in the 1954–55
Sheffield Shield The Sheffield Shield is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams representing the six states of Australia. The Sheffield Shield is named after Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield, Lor ...
. He made a
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
in the first innings before adding 19 in the second. New South Wales won, but Booth was dropped when the Test players returned from international duty. Booth was recalled a month later for a match against
Len Hutton Sir Leonard Hutton (23 June 1916 – 6 September 1990) was an English cricketer. He played as an Batting order (cricket)#Opening batsmen, opening batsman for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1934 to 1955 and for England national cricket team ...
's
English cricket team The England men's cricket team represents cricket in England, England and cricket in Wales, Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Maryleb ...
at the
Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in the Moore Park, New South Wales, Moore Park suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australi ...
.
Arthur Morris Arthur Robert Morris (19 January 1922 – 22 August 2015) was an Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955. An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen. He is best known for ...
and Bill Watson had to withdraw at late notice and Booth was asked to play, having already started his day's work as a teacher at Hurlstone Agricultural College. He caught a train and arrived at the ground more than half an hour after the start of play, by which time New South Wales had collapsed to 3/12. New South Wales fell further to 5/26 before Booth came in with a borrowed cap and
bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...
to join Peter Philpott. They put on an 83-run partnership, and Booth eventually finished the innings unbeaten on 74 as the hosts folded for 172.Robinson, p. 275. Booth made a
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
in the second innings and took his maiden first-class wicket as New South Wales defeated Hutton's men. It was only the tourists' second loss for the campaign, and the last match in Booth's debut season. Booth had a low key season in 1955–56, struggling to find a regular position in the New South Wales team. As there were no international matches during the summer, the Test players were available for the whole campaign. He played in six matches and had few opportunities, managing only 157 runs at 31.40, passing fifty on only one occasion. New South Wales went on to claim a hat-trick of Sheffield Shield titles. Booth was selected for the New South Wales hockey team in 1955 and toured New Zealand in 1956. Good performances on this tour led to his selection in the Australian Olympic squad for the
1956 Summer Olympics The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XVI Olympiad and officially branded as Melbourne 1956, were an international multi-sport event held in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, from 22 November to 8 December ...
in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, but he had an anxious wait following media claims that he had received out-of-pocket expenses for playing cricket, which would make him a professional and therefore ineligible to participate in the Olympics. Eventually, Booth and fellow first-class cricketers Ian Dick and Maurice Foley were cleared to play for Australia. Booth then missed the 1956–57
Sheffield Shield The Sheffield Shield is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams representing the six states of Australia. The Sheffield Shield is named after Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield, Lor ...
season because he was part of the Australian field hockey team that finished fifth at the Olympics.Haigh, p. 32. Booth was selected as an inside left but was not utilised in any of Australia's matches until the classification matches for 5th to 8th places In 1957–58, the Australian Test team toured South Africa during the southern hemisphere summer, opening up opportunities in the Shield competition back in Australia. Booth established himself at first-class level with 503 runs at 50.30. After scoring two fifties, he broke through for his maiden first-class century against Victoria at the
Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in the Moore Park, New South Wales, Moore Park suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australi ...
, in his last match of the season. He put on a partnership of 325 with future Test teammate Norm O'Neill in fewer than four hours. It was his fifteenth first-class match, and helped his state secure a fifth successive title with a ten-wicket win over their arch-rivals. With the Test players returning to Australia in 1958–59, Booth again faced more competition for places. He struggled, playing six matches and aggregating only 190 runs at 31.66. He only had six innings for the entire season, and in his only opportunity against Peter May's touring Englishmen, he made a duck. Booth passed 50 on two occasions during the season, making 75 and 85. In one high-scoring match against
South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
, he took 0/97 with his part-time
off spin Off spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners bowl with their right-arm and a finger spin action. Their normal delivery is called an off break, which spins from left to r ...
.


First-class consolidation

The national team toured the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
during the 1959–60 Australian season, opening up more vacancies at a domestic level. Booth had a strong first-class season, scoring 718 runs at 65.27 with two centuries to place third on the run-scoring aggregates. He started the season with 168 as New South Wales defeated Queensland by an innings before scoring 177 two matches later in an innings win over South Australia. His state completed a seventh Sheffield Shield triumph in succession. Booth's performances saw him selected for a second choice Australian team that toured New Zealand under the captaincy of
Ian Craig Ian David Craig (12 June 193516 November 2014) was an Australian cricketer who represented the Australian national team in 11 Tests between 1953 and 1958. A right-handed batsman, Craig holds the records for being the youngest Australian to ...
. He scored 105 in his first innings for his country, in a victory over
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
. Booth scored 184 runs at 30.66 and took three wickets at 25.00 in the four international matches against
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. Booth considered retiring after the season, feeling that the time needed for first-class cricket was impinging on his work as a lay preacher and a Christian youth worker. Booth brought himself into contention for the Test selection with a series of strong displays in 1960–61. He aggregated 981 runs at an average of 65.40, with three centuries. Only five players scored more runs, all at lower averages. Two of the centuries were in combined Australian XI matches at the end of the season for expected Test squad members. In a match against
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
, Booth struck a breezy 100 from 104 balls in 90 minutes. Another highlight was an 87 against the touring
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
, helping New South Wales to complete an innings win. Booth's productivity helped his state to another Sheffield Shield win.


Test career

Booth was then selected for
the Ashes The Ashes is a Test cricket series played biennially between England and Australia. The term originated in a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, '' The Sporting Times'', immediately after Australia's 1882 victory at The Oval, ...
tour of England in 1961; he and Victorian opening batsman
Bill Lawry William Morris Lawry (born 11 February 1937) is an Australian former cricketer and commentator who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Test matches, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia ...
, the two uncapped batsmen in the team, were regarded as the last two players chosen.Haigh, p. 164. Booth quickly gained a reputation for his attention to physical fitness. He led the Australians in their morning exercises during the sea voyage, which captain Richie Benaud made optional.Haigh, p. 211. After scoring 37 and seven against
Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...
in his first match on English soil, Booth broke through for his first century for Australia, scoring 113 against
Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
in his fifth match. He made 59 against the
Marylebone Cricket Club The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's, Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London, England. The club was the governing body of cricket from 1788 to 1989 and retain ...
, but was overlooked for the first three Tests. Booth scored 127 not out against
Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
, and in the next match against
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
, he was caught behind for 99 from the bowling of another Brian Booth.Robinson, p. 276. He played consistently, with two more half-centuries to earn his debut in the Fourth Test at
Old Trafford Old Trafford () is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and is the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 74,197, it is the largest club football stadium (and second-largest football stadium overall after W ...
in place of Colin McDonald. The series was evenly poised at 1–1, and Australia batted first on a pitch that initially assisted
fast bowling Fast bowling (also referred to as pace bowling) is a type of bowling in cricket, in which the ball is delivered at high speed. The fastest bowlers bowl the ball at over . Practitioners of fast bowling are known as fast bowlers or quicks. Also ...
. The surface was tinged with green and England fielded a pace line-up that included
Brian Statham John Brian Statham, (17 June 1930 – 10 June 2000) was an English professional cricketer from Gorton, in Manchester, who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club from 1950 to 1968 and for England from 1951 to 1965.Fred Trueman Frederick Sewards Trueman, (6 February 1931 – 1 July 2006) was an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. He had professional status and later became an author and broadcaster. Acknowled ...
. Booth was struck in the torso by his first ball, a bouncer that did not rise as high as he expected. He managed to repel a spearing
yorker In cricket, a yorker is a ball bowled (a delivery) which bounces by the batsman's feet. This makes it very challenging for a batter to play. When a batsman assumes a normal stance, a yorker generally bounces on the cricket pitch on or near th ...
on the second ball and compiled a battling 46, the second highest score on the difficult pitch, featuring in a partnership of 46—the highest in Australia's innings—with Bill Lawry. Australia managed only 190 on the bowler-friendly pitch. Booth only managed nine in the second innings before Australia retained the Ashes after an English collapse on the final day resulted in a 54-run win. In the drawn Fifth and final Test at
The Oval The Oval, currently named for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club sinc ...
, Booth came in with the score at 4/211 after the dismissal of Norm O'Neill for 117. He featured in a 185-run partnership with Peter Burge. Booth was dismissed for 71 while attempting to loft the spin of Tony Lock over the infield, as captain Richie Benaud needed quick runs; observers felt the need to attack cost Booth his maiden Test century. Booth added three more 70s in the closing tour matches before the team returned to Australia. The 1961–62 season was entirely a domestic season. Booth scored 507 runs at 42.25 with two centuries, against Queensland and South Australia. He placed 13th on the run-scoring aggregates, helping New South Wales to win its ninth consecutive Sheffield Shield. After scoring 72 in the opening match of the season and adding 41 against the touring Englishmen for New South Wales, Booth retained his place in the Test team for the 1962–63 Ashes series. He scored his maiden Test century in the First Test at
the Gabba The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. The nickname Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. Over the years, the Gab ...
, compiling 112 in the first innings of a high scoring draw. Thirteen players reached fifty, but Booth was the only player to reach three figures. English captain Ted Dexter attempted to shut down Booth's scoring by employing
leg theory A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element capa ...
. In the Second Test at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as the 'G, is a sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, the Lis ...
,
Fred Titmus Frederick John Titmus (24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) was an English cricketer, whose first-class career, mostly for Middlesex with a short stint for Surrey, spanned five decades. He was the fourth man after W.G. Grace, Wilfred Rhode ...
bowled outside leg stump with five men on the one side, but Booth completed consecutive centuries with 103 in the second innings. As a result of Dexter's defensive field placings, Booth scored at only half the rate he managed in the First Test. Booth took six hours to reach triple figures and hit only four boundaries. His innings was not enough to prevent England from completing a seven-wicket victory. Booth was unable to maintain his form for the rest of the season, with 34 and 77 in the Fourth Test in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
being the only other times that he passed 20. Australia won the Third Test, drawing the series, and Booth ended the series with 404 runs at 50.50. He added a further three fifties in the Sheffield Shield as Victoria ended New South Wales' nine-year winning streak. Booth started the 1963–64 season strongly. He scored centuries in his first two innings, recording 121 and 169 not out against Queensland and Western Australia respectively. In his rapid innings against
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
at the SCG, which took only 165 minutes, Booth reached 100 in 94 minutes during the second session of the day. In the lead-up to the Tests, Booth scored 63 for his state against South Africa but was unable to prevent defeat. In the Tests, he began the way he did in the previous season, with a century. Coming to the crease with Australia at 3/88 in the first innings of the First Test in
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, Booth withstood an opening burst of bouncers from South African spearhead Peter Pollock. He went on to accumulate his Test best of 169 from 81 overs of batting,Haigh, p. 183. in a display that gained wide praise because of his elegant stroke-making. One newspaper proclaimed that his innings had "more
Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uni ...
than the Princess of Monaco." Ray Robinson said "it was a tailored innings, fit to be put on display in a showcase and unrumpled by a single chance". South African skipper Trevor Goddard later said, "We didn't mind the leather chasing, when he played so charmingly."Perry (2000), p. 248. Booth's innings was the highlight of a match that was uneventful in terms of cricket but notorious for the no-balling of Ian Meckiff. A broken finger sidelined Booth for a month and prevented him from playing in the Second Test, but he returned for the Third Test in Sydney, and began a sequence of 75, 16, 58 and 24. He finished the series in the Fifth Test in his hometown, top-scoring in both of Australia's innings, with 102 not out and 87 in a draw. It capped off a productive fortnight for Booth; he had scored 162 not out against South Australia before the final Test. In four Tests, he aggregated 531 runs at 88.50. For the entire first-class season, Booth had struck five centuries and totaled 1,180 runs. According to Gideon Haigh, he had "played exquisitely" throughout the season,Haigh, p. 193. which was his career peak and saw him named the Australian Cricketer of the Year for 1963–64.


Vice-captaincy

Captain Richie Benaud retired at the end of the South Africa series — he had already relinquished the leadership after the First Test—and Booth was elevated to the vice-captaincy under Bob Simpson for the 1964 tour of England. Along with Simpson and Lawry, Booth was one of three on-tour selectors.Haigh, p. 197. Some observers felt that the personable Booth would have been more popular among the playing group than Simpson, while others thought that he would not have been hard-nosed enough in pursuing his team's competitive interest.Robinson, p. 277. While Simpson was known for being relentlessly hard-nosed, he was also abrasive and sometimes irritated others by making derogatory comments towards teammates. Booth again ran daily fitness classes during the voyage, and on this occasion, Simpson made them compulsory for the players. Booth started the tour well, scoring 109 not out in his third match for the summer, against
Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
. He passed 50 three more times before the start of the Tests, when his form waned. Booth failed to pass 20 in the first six innings of the Test series. With Australia 1–0 up after three Tests, a draw in the Fourth Test was sufficient to retain the Ashes. Booth regained his touch with three scores beyond fifty in four innings leading up to the Fourth Test, including 132 against
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...
. When the teams reconvened at Old Trafford for the Fourth Test, Booth made a "courtly" 98 in a 219-run partnership with Simpson. The Australians batted for more than two days to burn off any chance of an England victory. Booth then scored 193 not out, his highest for the summer, in Australia's 7/315 declared against
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, setting up the tourists' victory. He made 74 in the Fifth Test and ended the series with 210 runs at 42.00. Along with Simpson and Lawry, Booth was one of three Australians to accumulate more than 1,500 first-class runs for the English summer. Three Tests against
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and one against
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
lay ahead of Booth as the Australians visited the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
on the late-1964 voyage back to Australia. He had a mediocre time, passing fifty only once, with 74 in the Second Test at
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
's
Brabourne Stadium The Brabourne Stadium is an international cricket stadium in Mumbai in Western India, built in the British Bombay era. It is the home ground of the Mumbai men's and Mumbai women's cricket team, women's cricket teams. It can accommodate 50,000 pe ...
. That innings was terminated when Indian wicketkeeper KS Indrajitsinhji fumbled a stumping opportunity and the ball rolled back down the pitch. Despite breaking the stumps with his hand while the ball was not in close proximity, Indrajitsinhji's appeal for a
stumping Stumped is a method of Dismissal (cricket), dismissing a batter (cricket), batter in cricket, in which the wicket-keeper put down the wicket, puts down the wicket of the Glossary_of_cricket_terms#S, striker while the striker is out of their Bat ...
was upheld.Haigh, p. 207. According to Gideon Haigh, "It seemed like ten men ne of the Australians was illwere pitted against thirteen leven Indian players and two umpires. In the four Tests Booth compiled 127 runs at 21.17 and took the only three wickets of his Test career on the spin-friendly subcontinental surfaces. He took 2/33 in the drawn Third Test in
Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
, before capturing his final wicket in the second innings of the only Test against Pakistan in
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
. At the time, cricket matches in Australia and England were typically interrupted by the Sunday rest day, and Booth used these for religious observances. However, this custom was not observed on the subcontinent. Booth wanted to withdraw for personal reasons but decided to play due to injuries and illnesses to other players. He made 57 in a Test against Pakistan in Melbourne upon arrival in Australia. It was the only home Test of the season before the hosts embarked upon a tour to the Caribbean. Booth scored 115 for his state against the Pakistanis and ended the Australian season with 327 runs at 46.71. Australia arrived in the
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
in 1964–65 for five Tests against the emerging power of the 1960s, who were led by the hostile express pace bowling of
Wes Hall Sir Wesley Winfield Hall (born 12 September 1937) is a Barbadian former cricketer and politician. A tall, strong and powerfully built man, Hall was a genuine fast bowler and despite his very long run up, he was renowned for his ability to bow ...
and
Charlie Griffith Sir Charles Christopher Griffith, KA, SCM (born 14 December 1938) is a West Indian former cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a formidable fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s, but experienced a ...
. After narrowly evading a bouncer at the start of his innings, Booth made a battling top-score of 56 in the First Test loss at Sabina Park in
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
. He then made 117 in the Second Test at
Port of Spain Port of Spain ( ; Trinidadian and Tobagonian English, Trinidadian English: ''Port ah Spain'' ) is the capital and chief port of Trinidad and Tobago. With a municipal population of 49,867 (2017), an urban population of 81,142 and a transient dail ...
in
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...
, an innings that included a stand of 228 with Bob Cowper, which helped Australia hang on for a draw. It was to be Booth's last Test century, an innings he regarded as his "most satisfying", having collected a series of bruises,Robinson, p. 278. on a ground with no sightscreen. Booth did not pass 40 in the last three Tests and ended with 234 runs at 29.25 as Australia lost 2–1, their first series loss since the 1956 Ashes series and their first series loss against a team other than England, excluding a one-off Test against Pakistan in 1956. He had particular trouble with the pace of Griffith, and on one occasion, the paceman hit him on the nose before yorking him on the next ball; Booth maintains that he did not see the ball. Booth added two more fifties in the four first-class matches outside the Tests.


Temporary captain

At the start of the 1965–66 season, Booth scored fifties in three consecutive matches, including an 80 against the MCC tourists. The
1965–66 Ashes series The 1965–66 Ashes series consisted of five cricket Test matches, each of five days with six hours play and eight ball overs. It formed part of the MCC tour of Australia in 1965–66 and the matches outside the Tests were played in the name o ...
saw Booth captain Australia for the first time in a Test. Simpson sustained a broken wrist, leaving Booth to lead the hosts in the First Test in Brisbane. Booth prepared quietly, leaving Simpson to handle the press. He won the toss and elected to bat; fewer than two hours of play was possible on a rain-shortened first day, and the second day was entirely washed out. Booth made only 16 before being caught and bowled by
Fred Titmus Frederick John Titmus (24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) was an English cricketer, whose first-class career, mostly for Middlesex with a short stint for Surrey, spanned five decades. He was the fourth man after W.G. Grace, Wilfred Rhode ...
on the third morning, but after centuries to Lawry and debutant
Doug Walters Kevin Douglas Walters (born 21 December 1945) is a former Australian cricketer. He was known as an attacking batsman, a useful part-time bowler, and also as a typical ocker. He was a part of the Australian squad which finished as runners-up ...
, Booth declared at 6/443. Booth rotated his spinners and dismissed the tourists for 280; the match ended in a draw with England at 3/186 after being forced to follow on.Perry (2000), p. 244. When Geoff Boycott pushed a ball from
leg spin Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called a leg spinner. Leg spinners bowl with their right-arm and a wrist spin action. The leg spinner's normal delivery is called a leg break, which spins fr ...
ner Peter Philpott away with his hand, Booth refused to appeal for handling the ball. After the drawn Second Test, Simpson contracted
chickenpox Chickenpox, also known as varicella ( ), is a highly contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpesvirus family. The disease results in a characteristic skin rash that forms small, itchy blisters, which ...
, so Booth was again captain for the Third Test in front of his home crowd at the SCG. It was an extra burden, as Booth had made only 49 runs in the first two Tests; his teammates felt that their captain had been too anxious following his struggles against Griffith in the Caribbean.Haigh, p. 236. However, there was to be no fairytale for Booth, who later admitted to being in psychological disarray; he was unaware if the rolling done on the pitch after the toss was legal, and Philpott arrived late and ran onto the field just as play was starting. England batted first and their openers, Boycott and Bob Barber, immediately seized the initiative, putting on 234 for the first wicket in four hours.Haigh, p. 235. The tourists made 488 and Booth scored eight as Australia replied with 221 and were forced to follow on. He made 27 in the second innings before being bowled by David Allen as the hosts fell to an innings defeat. It was Australia's biggest defeat at home since the Fourth Test of the 1911–12 Ashes series when they lost by an innings and 225 runs. After the match, England captain Mike Smith told Booth that he looked forward to seeing him in the Fourth Test, but Booth prophetically predicted his downfall. With Australia 0–1 down, the selectors took drastic action and dropped Booth, Cowper, Philpott, McKenzie and David Sincock. The revamped team won the next Test by an innings, and Booth never played for Australia again. If he had played another Test, Booth would have been eligible for the
New South Wales Cricket Association Cricket NSW (officially known as the ''New South Wales Cricket Association'') is an Australian sporting association that administers cricket in New South Wales. It is based at the Sydney Olympic Park. The New South Wales Blues, the New South ...
's retirement bonus of AUD50 a Test. Booth's last five Test innings had netted only 84 runs.Perry (2000), p. 245. After the match, he received a letter from Sir
Don Bradman Sir Donald George Bradman (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), nicknamed "The Don", was an Australian international cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. His cricketing successes have been claimed by Shane ...
, then a member of the selection panel and the Australian Board of Control:
Never before have I written to a player to express my regret at his omission from the Australian XI. In your case I am making an exception because I want you to know how much my colleagues and I disliked having to make this move. Captain one match and out of the side the next looks like ingratitude, but you understand the circumstances and will be the first to admit that your form has not been good.
Booth ended the first-class season with 596 runs at 29.80, including four half-centuries. He continued to play for New South Wales before retiring during the 1968–69 season.


Final first-class seasons

In the 1966–67 Australian season, Booth scored 638 runs at 49.07, ranking fifth in the run-scoring aggregates. He scored 149 against Queensland, and added four fifties, including two scores in the 90s. As a result, Booth was made vice-captain of an Australian team that toured New Zealand under the leadership of Les Favell, while the national team was in South Africa. After failing to pass 26 in his first five innings, Booth made his highest first-class score, 214 not out, against Central Districts, and was Australia's leading run-scorer for the tour. After scoring only 62 runs in the first four innings in the opening three international matches against New Zealand, Booth made 179 in the fourth and final match. Booth was less successful in his penultimate season in 1967–68, with only 426 runs at 23.66, including two half-centuries, both against Victoria. A decision by administrators to introduce Sunday play into the Sheffield Shield ended his career, as he refused to make himself available for games that involved Sunday play.Robinson, p. 269. He played in only one match in his final season in 1968–69, scoring a duck and 15 as New South Wales lost to South Australia by three wickets. Booth continued to play grade cricket for the St. George club until 1976–77, leading the batting averages and aggregates in 1974–75. With 10,674 runs at 45.42, he was fifth on the all-time run-scoring aggregates in Sydney grade competition at the time of his retirement but has now dropped to ninth.


Style and the place of religion in sport

Brian Booth, that model of a man and of a batsman who tends to be under-rated and forgotten because both he and his cricket were so blamelessly self-effacing. Tall, upright, correct in method, ever-patient, he repeated the hundred he had got at
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
, and so gave England a target to go for while all around him were failing. :– E. W. Swanton
Booth was regarded as an elegant batsman who had an erect stance at the crease. He was known for not hitting the ball hard but for having an easy and relaxed style. In
hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...
, a player is not allowed to lift his stick above the shoulders; this background strengthened Booth's forearms and wrists and enabled him to impart momentum on the ball without a large swing of the bat.Robinson, p. 274. He was particularly known for his late cut and cover drive, which he played in a manner not dissimilar to
Mark Waugh Mark Edward Waugh (born 2 June 1965) is an Australian cricket commentator and former international cricketer, who represented Australia in Test matches from early 1991 to late 2002, after previously making his One Day International (ODI) debut ...
. He was also known for his quick footwork against
spin bowling Spin bowling is a bowling (cricket), bowling technique in cricket, in which the ball is Delivery (cricket), delivered relatively slowly but with rapid rotation, giving it the potential to deviate sharply after bouncing. A bowler who uses this t ...
and was rarely stumped, and he had the ability to change his batting tempo. He quickly got into position and typically moved onto the back foot to cover his stumps. A lean player, Booth stood 181 cm, weighed 66 kg and refrained from smoking, gambling and drinking. He was known for his efficient out-fielding, and on the second day of the Second Test against the
West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...
in
Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...
in 1964–65, he ran out Gary Sobers and Basil Butcher with strong throws from the outfield. Booth started as a part-time
leg spin Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called a leg spinner. Leg spinners bowl with their right-arm and a wrist spin action. The leg spinner's normal delivery is called a leg break, which spins fr ...
ner before converting to
off spin Off spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners bowl with their right-arm and a finger spin action. Their normal delivery is called an off break, which spins from left to r ...
. Booth had a reputation for
walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an " inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults o ...
when he knew that he was out, without waiting for the umpire's decision, and he was regarded as a player and leader of the highest principles. He was known for his record of instilling high standards of conduct into his players and prevented them from showing dissent towards unfavourable umpiring decisions.Robinson, p. 277. Robinson said that "if a prize were offered for sportsmanship among Australia's post-war cricketers Brian Booth ought to win it hands down".Robinson, p. 279. Lawry regarded Booth as one of the most gentlemanly cricketers that he knew. A committed
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, Booth was an
Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
lay-preacher, and often invoked religious and ethical arguments while talking about issues such as
sportsmanship Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, and with proper consideration for wikt:fairness, fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" r ...
. Booth became intensely religious in the 1950s after befriending Pastor Roy Gray, a colleague in district cricket and a classmate at Sydney Teachers College. Gray challenged his friend's faith, and Booth reflected that "Until that point, sport had really been my God". During Booth's career, the media made much of his religious convictions. After scoring his maiden Test century, he was asked whether he felt that God was with him.Haigh, p. 258. He replied in the affirmative, and the next day, a newspaper printed the headline "England can't win. God is on Brian Booth's side." Booth co-authored ''Cricket and Christianity'' with Paul White and his autobiography, ''Booth to Bat'', also with Paul White, and also wrote ''Hockey Fundamentals''. In 1998 he wrote ''Sport and sportsmanship: a Christian perspective towards 2000'' for the Australian Christian Forum on Education. He believed that the foundations of sport were courtesy and fairness, and he condemned the prevalence of verbal jousting in the modern game. During his career, he often spoke at religious functions in combination with other Christian cricketers. He appeared with the English Test opener Reverend
David Sheppard David Stuart Sheppard, Baron Sheppard of Liverpool (6 March 1929 – 5 March 2005) was a Church of England bishop who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth, before serving as Bishop of Liverpool from 1975 to 1997. Sheppard remains ...
at Sydney Town Hall and preached with Conrad Hunte in the West Indies. Despite Booth's views being more genteel than those of most of his teammates, there was little friction. Early in his state career, Booth declined to join a
Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...
gambling sweep organised by captain
Keith Miller Keith Ross Miller (28 November 1919 – 11 October 2004) was an Australian Test cricketer and a Royal Australian Air Force pilot during World War II. Miller is widely regarded as Australia's greatest ever all-rounder. His ability, irreverent m ...
. However, Miller included Booth in the event by assigning him to look after the money. Booth said "That was typical of Keith. That he was able to turn something that might have been a problem into something positive, giving me a responsibility, making me feel part of the team." He added, "The boys just accepted me for what I was. If they didn't share the strength of my convictions, they were quite happy for me to hold them." Simpson said that Booth never attempted to impose his beliefs on his teammates and never gave any inkling that he disapproved of their behaviour.


Outside cricket

After retirement, Booth resumed full-time duties as a Sydney schoolmaster. He spent 12 years as a teacher in government secondary schools in New South Wales before becoming an instructor in physical education at Sydney Teachers College in 1967. Before retiring in 1989, Booth served as the head of the Health and Human Movement Studies Department at the Sydney Institute of Education—the successor of the STC—for five years. In 1958, he married Judith Williams, whom he met at STC. They had four daughters, the first being born in 1961,Perry (2000), p. 247. and six grandchildren. Booth was the uncle of hammer thrower Brooke Krueger-Billett, who represented Australia at the
2006 Commonwealth Games The 2006 Commonwealth Games, officially the XVIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Melbourne 2006, were an International sport, international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth held in Melbourne ...
. In 1967, Booth was appointed the founding chairman of the Youth Advisory Council, a body that sought to address community issues such as
hooliganism Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, often in connection with crowds at sporting events. A hooligan is a person that engages in illicit reckless behaviors and is a public nuisance. Etymology ...
. Booth was made a life member of the
New South Wales Cricket Association Cricket NSW (officially known as the ''New South Wales Cricket Association'') is an Australian sporting association that administers cricket in New South Wales. It is based at the Sydney Olympic Park. The New South Wales Blues, the New South ...
(NSWCA) in 1974 and served as a vice-president for four years from 1973–74 onwards. He was awarded life membership of the
Marylebone Cricket Club The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's, Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London, England. The club was the governing body of cricket from 1788 to 1989 and retain ...
, the home of cricket. Booth had remained involved in grassroots cricket with
St George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the R ...
. He had served as the club president among other positions on the executive committee, and served as a coach for many years. The Booth Saunders pavilion at the club's home ground, Hurstville Oval, is jointly named in his honor. He was also the patron of the St George Randwick Men's Hockey Club and the St George Women's Hockey Club. In the 1974 Federal Election, Booth gained preselection as the Liberal candidate for the Division of St George, standing against Science Minister William Morrison of the ruling
Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...
. The seat, which had changed hands at several elections in the past, was held by Morrison for Labor, who were returned to office. In 1982, Booth was awarded the MBE for "services to the community and sport". In 2002, Booth returned to the public spotlight when he condemned the sledging, or verbal intimidation tactics, that are used in modern cricket. He stated, "I can't remember in the games that I played in, I can't ever remember being sledged, and I can't ever remember sledging anybody", in reference to
Steve Waugh Stephen Rodger Waugh (born 2 June 1965) is an Australian former international cricketer and twin brother of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman and a medium-pace bowler, Waugh is considered one of the greatest cricketers of all time. ...
's Australian team, which was perceived as being too hostile to opposing players. In the Australian edition of the 2002 ''
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack ''Wisden Cricketers' Almanack'', or simply ''Wisden'', colloquially the Bible of Cricket, is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom. The description "Bible of cricket" (or variations thereof) has been applied to ''Wi ...
'', he wrote a chapter titled "The Curse of Sledging". Booth was inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside Geoff Lawson and
Margaret Peden Margaret Elizabeth Maynard Peden (18 October 1905 – 18 March 1981) was an Australia women's cricket team, Australian international cricketer. She played six women's test matches for the Australia women's cricket team in the 1930s, and was the ...
. He was further honoured by the St George District Cricket Club in December 2020 as one of sixteen original inductees to the club's Hall of Fame. Booth's contribution to his home town was recognised alongside Norma Johnston in October 2022, with the announcement that the pair would each have a sightscreen named after them at the redeveloped Bathurst Sportsground.


Death

On 19 May 2023, Cricket Australia announced that Booth had died at age 89.


Notes


References

* * * * * * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Booth, Brian 1933 births 2023 deaths Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Australia Test cricketers Australia Test cricket captains New South Wales cricketers St George cricketers Olympic field hockey players for Australia Australian male field hockey players Field hockey players at the 1956 Summer Olympics Australian Anglicans People from the Central Tablelands Cricketers from New South Wales Sportsmen from New South Wales 20th-century Australian sportsmen