Brian Charles Booth (born 19 October 1933) is a former
Australian cricketer who played in 29
Test matches between 1961 and 1966, and 93
first-class matches for New South Wales. He captained
Australia for 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
Fast bowling (also referred to as pace bowling) is one of two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket, the other being spin bowling. Practitioners of pace bowling are usually known as ''fast'' bowlers, ''quicks'', or ''pacemen''. T ...
or
off spin
Off spin is a type of finger spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners are right-handed spin bowlers who use their fingers to spin the ball. Their normal delivery is an off break, which spi ...
. 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. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" refers to o ...
on the field and often invoked
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
while discussing ethics and sport.
Born near the
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
country town of
Bathurst, Booth moved to
Sydney in 1952 and played in the
grade cricket
Grade cricket, also known as Premier Cricket is the name of the senior inter-club or district cricket competitions in each of the Australian states and territories. The term may refer to:
*Victorian Premier Cricket
* NSW Premier Cricket
* Queens ...
competition while training to become a teacher. He made his first-class debut for the
New South Wales cricket team 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. After 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 is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ...
team for the
1956 Olympics 1956 Olympics refers to both:
*The 1956 Winter Olympics, which were held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
*The 1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport eve ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. 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
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.
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
A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c.
A centennial or ...
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. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
and was named the Australian player of the year. Following the retirement of
Richie Benaud
Richard Benaud (; 6 October 1930 – 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer who, after his retirement from international cricket in 1964, became a highly regarded commentator on the game.
Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending l ...
, 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 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
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 ...
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 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 country side at the age of just 14. In 1950, Booth represented New South Wales Country against a combined Sydney team, and moved to St. George 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
The Sydney Teachers' College was a tertiary education institution that trained school teachers in Sydney, Australia. It existed from 1906 until the end of 1981, when it became the Sydney Institute of Education, a part of the new Sydney College o ...
.[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
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
against Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
in the 1954–55 Sheffield Shield
The Sheffield Shield (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...
. He made a duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...
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 opening batsman for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1934 to 1955 and for England in 79 Test matches between 1937 and 1955. '' Wisden Cricke ...
's English cricket team
The England cricket team represents England and Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club (the MCC) since 1903. Engl ...
at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 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 mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". 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 ...
to join Peter Philpott
Peter Ian Philpott (21 November 1934 – 31 October 2021) was an Australian cricketer. He was a leg-spin bowler and middle order batsman who played for New South Wales and the national team in the 1960s. More recently, he was known as a coa ...
. 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 Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...
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 in ]Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, 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 (currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Marsh Sheffield Shield) is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams from the six states of Australia. Sheffield Shi ...
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.[Robinson, p. 274.] In his absence, New South Wales won a fourth consecutive Sheffield Shield.
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
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
at the Sydney Cricket Ground, 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 state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, he took 0/97 with his part-time off spin
Off spin is a type of finger spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners are right-handed spin bowlers who use their fingers to spin the ball. Their normal delivery is an off break, which spi ...
.[
]
First-class consolidation
The national team toured the Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
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.] He scored 105 in his first innings for his country, in a victory over Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...
.[ Booth scored 184 runs at 30.66 and took three wickets at 25.00 in the four international matches against ]New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.[ 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
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
, 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 a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
, 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 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, its first ...
tour of England in 1961; he and Victorian opening batsman Bill Lawry
William Morris Lawry (born 11 February 1937) is an Australian former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Test matches, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural O ...
, 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
Richard Benaud (; 6 October 1930 – 10 April 2015) was an Australian cricketer who, after his retirement from international cricket in 1964, became a highly regarded commentator on the game.
Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending l ...
made optional.[Haigh, p. 211.] After scoring 37 and seven against Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
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 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
in his fifth match.[ He made 59 against the ]Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...
,[ but was overlooked for the first three Tests.][
Booth scored 127 not out against ]Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lord_ ...
, and in the next match against Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
,[ 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 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 one of two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket, the other being spin bowling. Practitioners of pace bowling are usually known as ''fast'' bowlers, ''quicks'', or ''pacemen''. ...
. 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
A bouncer (also known as a doorman or door supervisor) is a type of security guard, employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs, cabaret clubs, stripclubs, casinos, hotels, billiard halls, restaurants, sporting events, schools, concerts, or ...
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 hits the cricket pitch around the batsman's feet. When a batsman assumes a normal stance, this generally means that the cricket ball bounces on the cricket pitch on or near the batsman's ...
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 known 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 since ...
, 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
Graham Anthony Richard Lock (5 July 1929 – 30 March 1995) was an English cricketer, who played primarily as a left-arm spinner. He played in forty nine Tests for England taking 174 wickets at 25.58 each.
Lock took 2,844 first-class wicket ...
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 Ga ...
, 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
Edward Ralph Dexter, (15 May 1935 – 25 August 2021) was an England international cricketer.
An aggressive middle-order batsman of ferocious power and a right-arm medium bowler, he captained Sussex and England in the early 1960s. He captai ...
attempted to shut down Booth's scoring by employing leg theory
Leg theory is a bowling tactic in the sport of cricket. The term ''leg theory'' is somewhat archaic, but the basic tactic remains a play in modern cricket.
Simply put, leg theory involves concentrating the bowling attack at or near the line of le ...
.[ In the ]Second Test
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each ...
at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Fred Titmus bowled outside leg stump with five men on the on 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 capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
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 (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
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 capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, Booth withstood an opening burst of bouncers from South African spearhead Peter Pollock
Peter Maclean Pollock (born 30 June 1941) is a retired South African cricketer. He has played a continuing role in the South Africa cricket team as a player and selector. He was voted a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1966. He was primarily a f ...
. 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 strokemaking. 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 uninco ...
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
Trevor Joseph Goddard (14 October 1962 – 7 June 2003) was an English actor. He was best known for playing Kano in the martial arts film ''Mortal Kombat'', Lieutenant Commander Mic Brumby in the television series '' JAG'' and main villain ...
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 home town, 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 totalled 1,180 runs.] According to Gideon Haigh
Gideon Clifford Jeffrey Davidson Haigh (born 29 December 1965) is an English-born Australian journalist and non-fiction author who writes about sport (especially cricket), business and crime in Australia. He was born in London, was raised in Ge ...
, 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.][ 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 county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...
.[ 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 ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
, 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 (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and one against Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
lay ahead of Booth as the Australians visited the Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
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 — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...
's Brabourne Stadium
The Brabourne Stadium is a cricket ground in Mumbai in Western India, built in the British Bombay era. It was the home ground of the Mumbai men's and women's cricket teams. It can accommodate 50,000 people for sports matches. The ground is owne ...
.[ That innings was terminated when Indian wicket-keeper 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 was upheld.][Haigh, p. 207.] According to Gideon Haigh
Gideon Clifford Jeffrey Davidson Haigh (born 29 December 1965) is an English-born Australian journalist and non-fiction author who writes about sport (especially cricket), business and crime in Australia. He was born in London, was raised in Ge ...
, "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 (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
, before capturing his final wicket in the second innings of the only Test against Pakistan in Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
. 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 a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
in 1964–65 for five Tests against the emerging power of the 1960s, who were led by the hostile express pace bowling
Fast bowling (also referred to as pace bowling) is one of two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket, the other being spin bowling. Practitioners of pace bowling are usually known as ''fast'' bowlers, ''quicks'', or ''pacemen''. ...
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 n ...
. 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
Sabina Park is a cricket ground and the home of the Kingston Cricket Club, and is the only Test cricket ground in Kingston, Jamaica.
History
Sabina Park was originally a Pen (urban residence and adjoining land of a wealthy merchant, shopkeepe ...
in Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. He then made 117 in the Second Test at Port of Spain in Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
, an innings that included a stand of 228 with Bob Cowper
Robert Maskew Cowper (born 5 October 1940) is a former cricketer who played Test cricket for Australia from 1964 to 1968, and Sheffield Shield cricket for Victoria and Western Australia from 1960 to 1970.
Cricket career
Bob Cowper was the so ...
, 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
In cricket, a sight screen is an apparatus, often comprising wooden or poly-carbonate slats, or cloth sheeting, on a large frame made of wood or another material, that is positioned alongside the cricket field to provide the batsmen a clear vie ...
. 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 of ...
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 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.
In 2011, he was inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame by the CA.
...
, 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
In the game of cricket, a team who batted second and scored significantly fewer runs than the team who batted first may be forced to follow-on: to take their second innings immediately after their first. The follow-on can be enforced by the team ...
.[Perry (2000), p. 244.] When Geoff Boycott
Sir Geoffrey Boycott (born 21 October 1940) is a former Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's m ...
pushed a ball from leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action. The leg spinner's normal delivery causes the ball to spin from right to left (from the bowler's perspective) when the ball bounces on the ...
ner Peter Philpott
Peter Ian Philpott (21 November 1934 – 31 October 2021) was an Australian cricketer. He was a leg-spin bowler and middle order batsman who played for New South Wales and the national team in the 1960s. More recently, he was known as a coa ...
away with his hand, Booth refused to appeal for handling the ball.
After the drawn Second Test, Simpson contracted chickenpox, 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
David John Sincock (born 1 February 1942) is a former Australian cricketer who played in three Test matches from 1964 to 1966.
Nicknamed "Evil Dick" by his teammates, Sincock was called "one of the most interesting bowlers I have ever played ...
.[ 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 Wal ...
'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 Don Bradman, then a member of the selection panel and the Australian Board of Control
Cricket Australia (CA), formerly known as the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the 'Australian Board of Control for International Crick ...
:
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
The Central Stags, formerly known as Central Districts, are a first-class cricket team based in central New Zealand. They are the men's representative side of the Central Districts Cricket Association. They compete in the Plunket Shield firs ...
, 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 capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, 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 term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
, 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. Booth was particularly known for his late cut and his cover drive
Cover Drive were a four-piece band from Barbados consisting of Amanda Reifer, T-Ray Armstrong, Barry "Bar-Man" Hill and Jamar Harding. They have gained commercial success in the United Kingdom. They are best known for their UK number one single ...
, 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) debu ...
. He was also known for his quick footwork against spin bowling
Spin bowling is a bowling technique in cricket, in which the ball is delivered slowly but with the potential to deviate sharply after bouncing. The bowler is referred to as a spinner.
Purpose
The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ...
and was rarely stumped, and he had the ability to change his batting tempo. Booth 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 outfielding, and on the second day of the Second Test against the ]West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...
in Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
in 1964–65, he ran out Gary Sobers
Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, (born 28 July 1936), also known as Sir Gary or Sir Garry Sobers, is a former cricketer who played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. A highly skilled bowler, an aggressive batsman and an excellent fielder, ...
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 leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action. The leg spinner's normal delivery causes the ball to spin from right to left (from the bowler's perspective) when the ball bounces on the ...
ner before converting to off spin
Off spin is a type of finger spin bowling in cricket. A bowler who uses this technique is called an off spinner. Off spinners are right-handed spin bowlers who use their fingers to spin the ball. Their normal delivery is an off break, which spi ...
.
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 by an ' inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ...
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 fairplaymanship 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, Booth is an Anglican lay-preacher, and often invokes 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. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" refers to o ...
. 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, Booth 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, Booth 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 of Liverpool who played cricket for Sussex and England in his youth. Sheppard remains the only ordained minister to have played T ...
at Sydney Town Hall
The Sydney Town Hall is a late 19th-century heritage-listed town hall building in the city of Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales, Australia, housing the chambers of the Lord Mayor of Sydney, council offices, and venues for meetings an ...
and preached with Conrad Hunte
Sir Conrad Cleophas Hunte, KA (9 May 1932 – 3 December 1999) was a Barbadian cricketer. Hunte played 44 Test matches as an opening batsman for the West Indies.
Early life and career
Hunte was born in rural St Andrew Parish in the ...
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 a Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria as part of the Melb ...
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 is the uncle of hammer thrower ]Brooke Krueger-Billett
Brooke Krueger-Billett (born 9 July 1980 in Tailem Bend) is a female hammer thrower from Australia.
She finished fourth at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, won the gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and finished seventh at the 2006 IAAF W ...
, who represented Australia at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
In 1967, Booth was appointed as 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, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a d ...
. 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 Wal ...
(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
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...
, the home of cricket.[ Booth has remained involved in grassroots cricket with St George.][ He has 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 honour. He is 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
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
candidate for the Division of St George
The Division of St George was an Divisions of the Australian House of Representatives, Australian Electoral Division in the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales. It was located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, and co ...
, standing against Science Minister William Morrison of the ruling Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms t ...
. 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 Mbe may refer to:
* Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo
* Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria
* Mbe language, a language of Nigeria
* Mbe' language, language of Cameroon
* ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language
Molal ...
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, he was also a medium-pace bowler. As Australian captain from 1997 to 2004, he led Austral ...
'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" was first used in the 1930s by Alec Waugh in a ...
'', he wrote a chapter titled "The Curse of Sledging".[
Booth was inducted into the ]Cricket NSW
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 ...
Hall of Fame in 2014 alongside Geoff Lawson and Margaret Peden
Margaret Elizabeth Maynard Peden (18 October 1905 - 18 March 1981) was an Australian cricketer. She played six women's test matches for the Australia women's cricket team in the 1930s, and was the first Australian women's Test captain. Biogra ...
.
Notes
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Booth, Brian
Australia Test cricketers
Australia Test cricket captains
New South Wales cricketers
St George cricketers
Olympic field hockey players of Australia
Australian male field hockey players
Field hockey players at the 1956 Summer Olympics
1933 births
Living people
Australian Anglicans
People from the Central Tablelands
Cricketers from New South Wales