Brian Booth - Final First-class Seasons

Final First-class Seasons

In the 1966–67 Australian season, Booth scored 638 runs at 49.07, ranking fifth in the run-scoring aggregates for the summer. 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 Second XI 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, 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. 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.