Former Australian middle-order batsman and Test captain Brian Booth has passed away at the age of 89. Known as one of the sport’s true gentlemen, Booth represented Australia in 29 Tests from 1961 to 1966 and further took part in hockey at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He is survived by his wife, Judy, and four daughters.
Booth hailed from Bathurst and later moved to Sydney, where he made his mark at St. George Cricket Club. His association with the club remained strong throughout his career, earning him a Life Membership. He went on to represent New South Wales and, eventually, Australia.
Booth’s contributions to Australian cricket
Despite his relatively late entry into Test cricket, Booth impressed the selectors and earned a spot on the 1961 Ashes tour. He made his Test debut in the final two matches of that series, contributing to Australia’s 2-1 victory. Owning to the absence of Test cricket in Australia during the 1961-62 season, Booth had to wait over 16 months for his home debut.
His patience paid off when he scored a century (112) and an unbeaten 19 against England at the Gabba, followed by another century in the next Test in Melbourne. Booth continued his impressive form, scoring two more centuries against South Africa the following summer. He finished his career with 1773 Test runs and an average of 42.21, including five tons.
Booth continued to represent New South Wales for two more seasons, surpassing 11,000 first-class runs for his state. In recognition of his contributions to cricket, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him an MBE in 1982.
In 2002, Booth reemerged in the public eye by expressing his strong disapproval of the prevalent sledding tactics used by the then-Australian captain Steve Waugh and his team. He voiced his astonishment at the aggressive verbal intimidation that he observed in the games played in modern cricket, contrasting it with his experiences as a player.
Booth remarked, “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.” He specifically highlighted Steve Waugh’s Australian team, which had gained a reputation for its perceived excessive hostility towards opponents.
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