Major Booth - Notable Feats

Notable Feats

His best feats with the ball may be summarised thus:

• 8-47, Yorkshire v. Middlesex, at Leeds 1912
• 8-52, Yorkshire v. Leicestershire, at Sheffield 1912
• 8-64, Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton 1914
• 8-86, Yorkshire v. Middlesex, at Sheffield: 1913
• 7-21, Yorkshire v. MCC and Ground, at Lord's 1914
• 14-160 (match figures), Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton 1914
• 3 wkts in 3 balls, Yorkshire v. Worcestershire, at Bradford 1911
• 3 wkts in 3 balls Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton 1912
• 3 wkts in 4 balls Yorkshire v. Warwickshire, at Sheffield 1913
• 3 wkts in 4 balls Yorkshire v. MCC and Ground, at Lord's 1914
• 3 wkts in 4 balls Yorkshire v. Kent, at Sheffield 1914

In two consecutive matches in August, 1914, he and Drake bowled unchanged throughout, Gloucestershire being dismissed for 94 and 84 at Bristol and Somerset for 44 and 90 at Weston-super-Mare. In the second innings of the latter match Booth had the very rare experience of bowling throughout without obtaining a wicket, Drake taking all 10 for 35 runs.

In 1913 Booth was chosen for the Players at Lord's, and during 1913-14 toured South Africa with MCC's team under Douglas' captaincy. His doings abroad were somewhat disappointing, and so strong was the side that he was left out of three of the Test matches. In the 144 games in which he appeared for Yorkshire he scored 4,213 runs with an average of 22.65 and obtained 556 wickets for 18.89 runs each. Tall of stature, good-looking, and of engaging address, Booth was a very popular figure both on and off the cricket field. Booth was brought up at Town End House near the Britannia Inn at Pudsey. He was the best man at Roy Kilner's wedding and the latter named a son after him. There is a memorial tablet in St Lawrence Church in memory of him.