Brian Booth (1933 – 2023)

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Brian Booth.

Brian was one of the most respected figures in the history of Australian cricket and a multi-talented athlete whose integrity underpinned all that he achieved on the field.

Born just outside of Bathurst in rural New South Wales, Brian pursued sport from the first; enjoying cricket in the summer and field hockey in the winter, he showed an aptitude for both. With dazzling footwork and a graceful right-handed style, Booth earned selection for NSW in 1954/55 but had to wait until 1961 for his Australian debut. During that time, Brian represented Australia in field hockey at the Olympics, a testament to his all-round sporting ability.

For his 29 Test career, Booth was renowned as a fair player. Imbued with a sense of righteousness, he was fiercely competitive and passionate about representing his country. Captain for two Tests, Booth managed an impressive 1,773 runs at 42.21 at the highest level, with five centuries.

Endlessly polite and humble in his everyday encounters, Brian Booth taught in Sydney following his retirement from the game. A coach at St George for 15 years, Brian Booth gave all of himself to others. Australian cricket will forever be richer for his contributions.