Former Australia Test captain Brian Booth dies at 89
Brian Booth, the previous Australia Test captain, has died on the age of 89.
A middle-order batter and a part-time offspinner, Booth performed a complete of 29 Tests, scoring 1773 runs and taking three wickets. He additionally represented Australia in hockey on the 1956 Melbourne Olympics earlier than he earned his Test cap on the 1961 Ashes tour as a 27-year-old. In an interview with The Cricket Monthly in 2013, Booth had mentioned that “he was fortunate to be able to play two sports.”
He waited for 16 months to play a Test at dwelling, and when the time arrived, he notched up 112 and 19 not out in opposition to England in Brisbane in December, 1962. He adopted it up with a second hundred within the subsequent Test in Melbourne.
In 1965, on the tour of the Caribbean, Booth scored a century in opposition to high-quality pacers akin to Charlie Griffith and Wes Hall, and shared a 220-run stand with Bob Cowper (143) for the third wicket in a drawn match in Trinidad. He had talked about in the identical interview that “Charlie Griffith and Wes Hall were the fastest pair I faced. They were always pretty fiery and they let us have it in ’65 in the West Indies.” He went on so as to add that to make 100 in opposition to West Indies “gave me immense satisfaction.”
“Brian was immensely respected and admired throughout the cricketing community and beyond and we extend our deepest condolences to his wife Judy and their family and friends,” Nick Hockley, CA CEO, mentioned.
“Less than 50 players have captained the Australian men’s Test team and Brian’s name is included on a list that features many of the game’s greats. He has had an extraordinary life and will be sadly missed. His contribution to cricket continues to be an inspiration and will always be remembered.”
Representing New South Wales on the home stage, he scored a complete of 5577 runs in 93 first-class matches, together with 11 a whole lot.
Lee Germon, Cricket NSW CEO, mentioned: “Brian’s record on the playing field and as a leader are well documented and the fact he was able to captain Australia and NSW in cricket, as well as play hockey for Australia at a home Olympics, shows just how special he was as an athlete.
“But that’s simply part of who Brian was and it was his respectful, courteous and pleasant method off the sphere that can endure within the recollections of all that he got here into contact with.”
Booth is survived by his spouse Judy and 4 daughters.