Editing Brian Booth (section)

== Test career ==

[[File:Ian Craig, Johnny Martin and Brian Booth 1960.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[Ian Craig]], [[Johnny Martin (cricketer)|Johnny Martin]] and Booth (right) in New Zealand in 1960]]

Booth was then selected for [[the Ashes]] [[Australian cricket team in England in 1961|tour of England in 1961]]; he and Victorian opening batsman [[Bill Lawry]], the two uncapped batsmen in the team, were regarded as the last two players chosen.<ref name=h164>Haigh, p. 164.</ref> Booth quickly gained a reputation for his attention to physical fitness. He led the Australians in their morning exercises during the sea voyage,<ref name="r275"/> which captain [[Richie Benaud]] made optional.<ref name=h211>Haigh, p. 211.</ref> After scoring 37 and seven against [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]] in his first match on English soil, Booth broke through for his first century for Australia, scoring 113 against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]] in his fifth match.<ref name=o/> He made 59 against the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]],<ref name=o/> but was overlooked for the first three Tests.<ref name=o/><ref name=testlist/>

Booth scored 127 not out against [[Somerset County Cricket Club|Somerset]], and in the next match against [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]],<ref name=o/> he was caught behind for 99 from the bowling of another [[Brian Booth (cricketer, born 1935)|Brian Booth]].<ref name="r276">Robinson, p. 276.</ref> He played consistently, with two more half-centuries to earn his debut in the Fourth Test at [[Old Trafford (cricket ground)|Old Trafford]] in place of [[Colin McDonald (Australian cricketer)|Colin McDonald]].<ref name=o/><ref name="az">{{cite book | author = Cashman | author2 = Franks | author3 = Maxwell | author4 = Sainsbury | author5 = Stoddart | author6 = Weaver | author7 = Webster | year = 1997 | title = The A-Z of Australian cricketers|pages =27–28|isbn=0-19-550604-9|publisher= Oxford University Press|location=Melbourne}}</ref> The series was evenly poised at 1–1,<ref name=auslist/> and Australia batted first on a pitch that initially assisted [[fast bowling]]. The surface was tinged with green and England fielded a pace line-up that included [[Brian Statham]] and [[Fred Trueman]]. Booth was struck in the torso by his first ball, a [[bouncer (cricket)|bouncer]] that did not rise as high as he expected. He managed to repel a spearing [[yorker]] 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.<ref name="p247"/> Australia managed only 190 on the bowler-friendly pitch.<ref name=o/><ref name="r276"/> 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.<ref name=o/><ref name="testlist"/> In the drawn Fifth and final Test at [[The Oval]], 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 (cricketer)|Peter Burge]]. Booth was dismissed for 71 while attempting to loft the spin of [[Tony Lock]] over the infield,<ref name="r276"/> as captain Richie Benaud needed quick runs; observers felt the need to attack cost Booth his maiden Test century.<ref name="p247"/> Booth added three more 70s in the closing tour matches before the team returned to Australia.<ref name=o/>

The 1961–62 season was entirely a domestic season.<ref name=auslist/> Booth scored 507 runs at 42.25 with two centuries, against Queensland and South Australia.<ref name=o/> He placed 13th on the run-scoring aggregates, helping New South Wales to win its ninth consecutive Sheffield Shield.<ref name=s>{{cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/260057.html|access-date=30 November 2007|title=A history of the Sheffield Shield |work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |first=Martin |last=Williamson}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1960S/1961-62/AUS_LOCAL/STATS/FC_1961-62_BAT_MOST_RUNS.html| title=Australian First-Class Season 1961/62: Batting – Most Runs| work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |access-date=4 December 2007}}</ref>

After scoring 72 in the opening match of the season and adding 41 against the touring Englishmen for New South Wales,<ref name=o/> 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]], 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.<ref name="p247"/> English captain [[Ted Dexter]] attempted to shut down Booth's scoring by employing [[leg theory]].<ref name=p247/> In the [[1962–63 Ashes series#Second Test – Melbourne|Second Test]] at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], [[Fred Titmus]] 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.<ref name="r276"/> Booth took six hours to reach triple figures and hit only four boundaries.<ref>Piesse, p. 201.</ref> His innings was not enough to prevent England from completing a seven-wicket victory.<ref name=o/> Booth was unable to maintain his form for the rest of the season, with 34 and 77 in the Fourth Test in [[Adelaide]] being the only other times that he passed 20.<ref name="testlist"/> Australia won the Third Test, drawing the series, and Booth ended the series with 404 runs at 50.50.<ref name=o/><ref name="p247"/> He added a further three fifties in the Sheffield Shield as Victoria ended New South Wales' nine-year winning streak.<ref name=s/>

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.<ref name=o/> In his rapid innings against [[Western Warriors|Western Australia]] at the SCG, which took only 165 minutes, Booth reached 100 in 94 minutes during the second session of the day<!--One [[six (cricket)|six]] came from a [[Des Hoare]] [[Beamer (cricket)|beamer]], which Booth hooked onto the roof of the stand on the hill. Booth modestly claimed that the shot was a top edge -->.<ref name="r276"/> In the lead-up to the Tests, Booth scored 63 for his state against South Africa but was unable to prevent defeat.<ref name=o/> In the Tests, he began the way he did in the previous season, with a century.<ref name=o/> Coming to the crease with Australia at 3/88 in the first innings of the First Test in [[Brisbane]], 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,<ref name=p246/><ref name=h183>Haigh, p. 183.</ref> in a display that gained wide praise because of his elegant stroke-making. One newspaper proclaimed that his innings had "more [[Grace Kelly|Grace]] than the Princess of Monaco."<ref name="p246"/> [[Ray Robinson (cricket writer)|Ray Robinson]] said "it was a tailored innings, fit to be put on display in a showcase and unrumpled by a single chance".<ref name="r276"/> South African skipper [[Trevor Goddard (cricketer)|Trevor Goddard]] later said, "We didn't mind the leather chasing, when he played so charmingly."<ref name="p248">Perry (2000), p. 248.</ref> Booth's innings was the highlight of a match that was uneventful in terms of cricket but notorious for the [[throwing (cricket)|no-balling]] of [[Ian Meckiff]].<ref>Haigh, pp. 183–184.</ref> A broken finger sidelined Booth for a month and prevented him from playing in the Second Test,<ref name=o/><ref name=testlist/><ref>Piesse, p. 204.</ref> 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.<ref name=p248/> It capped off a productive fortnight for Booth; he had scored 162 not out against South Australia before the final Test.<ref name=o/> 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.<ref name="p248"/> According to [[Gideon Haigh]], he had "played exquisitely" throughout the season,<ref name=h193>Haigh, p. 193.</ref> which was his career peak and saw him named the Australian Cricketer of the Year for 1963–64.<ref name="az"/>

=== 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 (cricketer)|Bob Simpson]] for the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1964|1964 tour of England]].<ref name="p248"/> Along with Simpson and Lawry, Booth was one of three on-tour selectors.<ref name=h197>Haigh, p. 197.</ref> 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.<ref name="r277">Robinson, p. 277.</ref> While Simpson was known for being relentlessly hard-nosed, he was also abrasive and sometimes irritated others by making derogatory comments towards teammates.<ref>Haigh, pp. 191–192, 243.</ref> Booth again ran daily fitness classes during the voyage, and on this occasion, Simpson made them compulsory for the players.<ref name=h211/> Booth started the tour well, scoring 109 not out in his third match for the summer, against [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]].<ref name=o/> He passed 50 three more times before the start of the Tests, when his form waned.<ref name=o/>

Booth failed to pass 20 in the first six innings of the Test series.<ref name="testlist"/> With Australia 1–0 up after three Tests, a draw in the Fourth Test was sufficient to retain the Ashes.<ref name=auslist/> Booth regained his touch with three scores beyond fifty in four innings leading up to the Fourth Test, including 132 against [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]].<ref name=o/> 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.<ref>Perry (2000), p. 234.</ref><ref>Haigh, p. 204.</ref> Booth then scored 193 not out, his highest for the summer, in Australia's 7/315 declared against [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]], setting up the tourists' victory.<ref name=o/> He made 74 in the Fifth Test and ended the series with 210 runs at 42.00.<ref name="p248"/> Along with Simpson and Lawry, Booth was one of three Australians to accumulate more than 1,500 first-class runs for the English summer.<ref>Haigh, p. 206.</ref>

Three Tests against [[India national cricket team|India]] and one against [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] lay ahead of Booth as the Australians visited the [[Indian subcontinent]] on the late-1964 voyage back to Australia. He had a mediocre time, passing fifty only once, with 74 in the Second Test at [[Mumbai|Bombay]]'s [[Brabourne Stadium]].<ref name=testlist/> 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 [[stumped|stumping]] was upheld.<ref name=h207>Haigh, p. 207.</ref> According to [[Gideon Haigh]], "It seemed like ten men [one of the Australians was ill] were pitted against thirteen [eleven Indian players and two umpires]".<ref name=h207/> 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]], before capturing his final wicket in the second innings of the only Test against Pakistan in [[Karachi]].<ref name="p248"/> 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.<ref name="r277"/> 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 [[Australian cricket team in the West Indies in 1964–65|tour to the Caribbean]].<ref name=auslist/><ref name="testlist"/><ref name="p248"/> Booth scored 115 for his state against the Pakistanis and ended the Australian season with 327 runs at 46.71.<ref name=o/>

Australia arrived in the [[West Indies]] 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]] and [[Charlie Griffith]]. 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]].<ref name="r277"/> He then made 117 in the Second Test at [[Port of Spain]] in [[Trinidad]], 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",<ref name="p248"/> having collected a series of bruises,<ref name="r278">Robinson, p. 278.</ref> on a ground with no [[Sight screen|sightscreen]].<ref>Haigh, p. 229.</ref> Booth did not pass 40 in the last three Tests and ended with 234 runs at 29.25 as Australia lost 2–1,<ref name="testlist"/> their first series loss since the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1956|1956 Ashes series]] and their first series loss against a team other than England, excluding a one-off Test against Pakistan in 1956.<ref name=auslist/> He had particular trouble with the pace of Griffith, and on one occasion, the paceman hit him on the nose before [[yorker|yorking]] him on the next ball; Booth maintains that he did not see the ball.<ref>Haigh, pp. 226–227.</ref> Booth added two more fifties in the four first-class matches outside the Tests.<ref name=o/>

=== Temporary captain ===

<!--[[File:Bob Simpson sweep.JPG|thumb|right|Booth stood in as captain for Bob Simpson ''(pictured)'' when Simpson was ill and injured.]]-->

At the start of the 1965–66 season, Booth scored fifties in three consecutive matches, including an 80 against the [[MCC tour of Australia in 1965-66|MCC tourists]].<ref name=o/> The [[1965–66 Ashes series]] 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]], Booth declared at 6/443.<ref name=o/><ref name=p244/> 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]].<ref name=o/><ref name=p244>Perry (2000), p. 244.</ref> When [[Geoff Boycott]] pushed a ball from [[leg spin]]ner [[Peter Philpott]] away with his hand, Booth refused to appeal for [[handled the ball|handling the ball]].<ref name="r278"/>

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.<ref name=p245/> It was an extra burden, as Booth had made only 49 runs in the first two Tests;<ref name=testlist/> his teammates felt that their captain had been too anxious following his struggles against Griffith in the Caribbean.<ref name=h236>Haigh, p. 236.</ref> However, there was to be no fairytale for Booth,<ref name=p245/> 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.<ref name=h236/> England batted first and their openers, Boycott and [[Bob Barber (cricketer)|Bob Barber]], immediately seized the initiative, putting on 234 for the first wicket in four hours.<ref name=h235>Haigh, p. 235.</ref> The tourists made 488 and Booth scored eight as Australia replied with 221 and were forced to follow on.<ref name=o/><ref name=p245/> He made 27 in the second innings before being bowled by [[David Allen (cricketer)|David Allen]] as the hosts fell to an innings defeat.<ref name=o/><ref name="p245"/> It was Australia's biggest defeat at home since the Fourth Test of the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1911–12|1911–12 Ashes series]] when they lost by an innings and 225 runs. After the match, England captain [[M. J. K. Smith|Mike Smith]] told Booth that he looked forward to seeing him in the Fourth Test, but Booth prophetically predicted his downfall.<ref name=h236/>

With Australia 0–1 down, the selectors took drastic action and dropped Booth, Cowper, Philpott, McKenzie and [[David Sincock]].<ref name=p245/> The revamped team won the next Test by an innings,<ref name=auslist/> and Booth never played for Australia again.<ref name=testlist/> If he had played another Test, Booth would have been eligible for the [[New South Wales Cricket Association]]'s retirement bonus of AUD50 a Test.<ref name="r278"/> Booth's last five Test innings had netted only 84 runs.<ref name="testlist">{{cite web|url=http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?sdb=player;playerid=1153;class=testplayer;filter=basic;team=0;opposition=0;notopposition=0;season=0;homeaway=0;continent=0;country=0;notcountry=0;groundid=0;startdefault=1961-07-27;start=1961-07-27;enddefault=1966-01-11;end=1966-01-11;tourneyid=0;finals=0;daynight=0;toss=0;scheduledovers=0;scheduleddays=0;innings=0;result=0;followon=0;seriesresult=0;captain=0;keeper=0;dnp=0;recent=;viewtype=aro_list;runslow=;runshigh=;batposition=0;dismissal=0;bowposition=0;ballslow=;ballshigh=;bpof=0;overslow=;overshigh=;conclow=;conchigh=;wicketslow=;wicketshigh=;dismissalslow=;dismissalshigh=;caughtlow=;caughthigh=;caughttype=0;stumpedlow=;stumpedhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414134806/http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?sdb=player;playerid=1153;class=testplayer;filter=basic;team=0;opposition=0;notopposition=0;season=0;homeaway=0;continent=0;country=0;notcountry=0;groundid=0;startdefault=1961-07-27;start=1961-07-27;enddefault=1966-01-11;end=1966-01-11;tourneyid=0;finals=0;daynight=0;toss=0;scheduledovers=0;scheduleddays=0;innings=0;result=0;followon=0;seriesresult=0;captain=0;keeper=0;dnp=0;recent=;viewtype=aro_list;runslow=;runshigh=;batposition=0;dismissal=0;bowposition=0;ballslow=;ballshigh=;bpof=0;overslow=;overshigh=;conclow=;conchigh=;wicketslow=;wicketshigh=;dismissalslow=;dismissalshigh=;caughtlow=;caughthigh=;caughttype=0;stumpedlow=;stumpedhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2013|title=Statsguru – BC Booth – Tests – Innings by innings list|work=[[ESPNcricinfo]]|access-date=2 April 2007}}</ref><ref name="p245">Perry (2000), p. 245.</ref> After the match, he received a letter from Sir [[Don Bradman]], then a member of the selection panel and the [[Cricket Australia|Australian Board of Control]]:

<blockquote>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.<ref name="p246"/></blockquote>

Booth ended the first-class season with 596 runs at 29.80, including four half-centuries.<ref name=o/> He continued to play for New South Wales before retiring during the 1968–69 season.<ref name=az/>