Roy Booth
Encyclopedia
Roy Booth was an English
first-class cricket
er, who played for both Yorkshire
and Worcestershire
.
A product of Golcar
Cricket Club, where he lived most of his early life, he was professional with Lightcliffe from 1948-53 and 1955. A specialist wicket-keeper
, he took 948 catches and completed 178 stumpings in a career that spanned two decades from 1951 to 1970, and 468 first-class
games. He took another 28 catches and made two stumpings in his List A one-day matches.
at the end of the 1953 season
. He was then first choice for Yorkshire in 1954 and in the first half of 1955, but lost his place mid-season to Jimmy Binks
.
He joined Worcestershire on special registration for the 1956 season
, won his county cap in his first season and was then the regular wicket-keeper for the team for the next thirteen seasons, during which time the county achieved greater success than at any time before. The side came second in the County Championship
for the first time in 1962 and two years later went one better, winning the title for the first time. They retained the Championship in 1965.
Booth's contribution to the success was substantial. Taller than many wicket-keepers of the period, he seemed well-equipped to handle Worcestershire's battery of fast-medium bowlers in the late 1950s, led by Jack Flavell
and Len Coldwell
. But the emergence from 1960 of a more balanced bowling attack, with the arrival of first Doug Slade
and then Norman Gifford
, both slow left-arm, not only gave Worcestershire a Championship-winning edge but also showed Booth to be among the best all-round wicket-keepers in the country at the time. Despite his record, he appears never to have been close to Test selection, as the long-standing Godfrey Evans
was succeeded as England
wicketkeeper by a series of players (Roy Swetman
, John Murray
, Geoff Millman
, Jim Parks
) a few years younger than Booth.
Booth set records for both season and career dismissals for Worcestershire, though his career total has since been overtaken by Steve Rhodes
. He is the last wicket-keeper to have completed 100 dismissals in an English first-class season, and achieved this feat twice, in 1960, when he made 101 dismissals and in the Championship-winning season of 1964, when he made exactly 100 dismissals. With the reduction in first-class matches that has taken place in the years since, it is unlikely that this feat will ever be repeated, and Booth is one of only seven keepers to have achieved this milestone.
Booth had no great reputation for batting when he joined Worcestershire, having made only one score of more than 50 in five seasons with Yorkshire. But he turned himself into a highly effective lower middle-order batsman with a very upright stance and a "correct" batting style. In 1959, he made 1,042 runs, the only time he passed 1,000 runs in a season – though two years later, in 1961, he was within two runs of a potential record. In this season, he made 998 runs with just one innings of over 50 and a highest score of just 54: had he scored those two runs, he would have had the "lowest highest score" of any player completing 1,000 runs in an English season, a record at present held by his Worcestershire colleague, Dick Richardson
.
Booth maintained form and fitness into his forties, and acted as deputy captain for some years before his retirement at the end of the 1968 season. He returned for four first-class matches, and one List A game, in an injury crisis in 1970.
He later worked for Worcestershire serving on the committee for many years.
He was a good soccer player with Yorkshire Amateurs, and had he trails with Burnley F.C.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, who played for both Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
.
A product of Golcar
Golcar
Golcar is a village located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield, and just north of the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal...
Cricket Club, where he lived most of his early life, he was professional with Lightcliffe from 1948-53 and 1955. A specialist wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, he took 948 catches and completed 178 stumpings in a career that spanned two decades from 1951 to 1970, and 468 first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
games. He took another 28 catches and made two stumpings in his List A one-day matches.
Career
Booth came late to first-class cricket, not making his debut for his native Yorkshire until he was 24, and was a fringe player in the Yorkshire team until the retirement of Don BrennanDon Brennan (Cricketer)
Donald Vincent Brennan was an English cricketer, who played in two Tests in 1951. For his county Yorkshire he was their regular wicket-keeper between 1947 and 1953, taking a total of 380 dismissals in those seven seasons. A poor batsman, he averaged 10.52 in first-class cricket with only a single...
at the end of the 1953 season
1953 English cricket season
The 1953 English cricket season saw a tight Test series between England and Australia that was settled, after four drawn matches, in the final Test at The Oval, where England won to reclaim The Ashes for the first time since the Bodyline series of 1932/33....
. He was then first choice for Yorkshire in 1954 and in the first half of 1955, but lost his place mid-season to Jimmy Binks
Jimmy Binks
James Graham "Jimmy" Binks is a former English cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper for Yorkshire. Although he was regarded by many as the best wicket-keeper of his generation, his limited batting ability restricted him to just two Test match appearances for England, both on the 1963-64 tour to...
.
He joined Worcestershire on special registration for the 1956 season
1956 English cricket season
The 1956 English cricket season is memorable for the performances of Jim Laker, especially his unique feat in taking 19 wickets in a match, which he performed in the Old Trafford Test Match. He took a total of 46 wickets in the 5 Tests, a record in an England-Australia series...
, won his county cap in his first season and was then the regular wicket-keeper for the team for the next thirteen seasons, during which time the county achieved greater success than at any time before. The side came second in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
for the first time in 1962 and two years later went one better, winning the title for the first time. They retained the Championship in 1965.
Booth's contribution to the success was substantial. Taller than many wicket-keepers of the period, he seemed well-equipped to handle Worcestershire's battery of fast-medium bowlers in the late 1950s, led by Jack Flavell
Jack Flavell
Jack Flavell was an English cricketer who played in four Tests for England from 1961 to 1964. His county cricket career was spent with Worcestershire, with whom Flavell won two County Championship titles...
and Len Coldwell
Len Coldwell
Len Coldwell was an English cricketer, who played in seven Tests for England from 1962 to 1964. Coldwell was a right-arm fast-medium bowler who was, for a few years in the early to mid-1960s, half of a respected and feared new-ball partnership in English county cricket...
. But the emergence from 1960 of a more balanced bowling attack, with the arrival of first Doug Slade
Doug Slade
Douglas Norman Frank Slade is a former English cricketer who played for Worcestershire and Shropshire.Slade scored 5275 runs at 18.06 and took 502 wickets at 23.47 with his slow left hand bowling in a career with Worcestershire that lasted from 1958 until 1971.Slade came to prominence in his first...
and then Norman Gifford
Norman Gifford
Norman Gifford was an English cricketer, who played primarily as a left-arm spinner...
, both slow left-arm, not only gave Worcestershire a Championship-winning edge but also showed Booth to be among the best all-round wicket-keepers in the country at the time. Despite his record, he appears never to have been close to Test selection, as the long-standing Godfrey Evans
Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
was succeeded as England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
wicketkeeper by a series of players (Roy Swetman
Roy Swetman
Roy Swetman is an English former cricketer, who played in eleven Tests as a wicket-keeper from 1959 to 1960.-Life and career:...
, John Murray
John Murray (cricketer)
John Thomas Murray MBE is a former English cricketer. He played in twenty one Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.-Life and career:...
, Geoff Millman
Geoff Millman
Geoffrey Millman was an English cricketer, who played in six Tests for England from 1961 to 1962.The cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, remarked, "a neat, unobtrusive wicketkeeper and gritty batsman, Geoff Millman was a reliable county performer called up by his country as No.2 to John Murray...
, Jim Parks
Jim Parks junior
Jim Parks is an English former cricketer. He played in forty six Tests for England, between 1954 and 1968...
) a few years younger than Booth.
Booth set records for both season and career dismissals for Worcestershire, though his career total has since been overtaken by Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes is a former English cricketer. He was best known as a wicket-keeper, but was also a useful number six or seven batsman, making twelve first-class centuries....
. He is the last wicket-keeper to have completed 100 dismissals in an English first-class season, and achieved this feat twice, in 1960, when he made 101 dismissals and in the Championship-winning season of 1964, when he made exactly 100 dismissals. With the reduction in first-class matches that has taken place in the years since, it is unlikely that this feat will ever be repeated, and Booth is one of only seven keepers to have achieved this milestone.
Booth had no great reputation for batting when he joined Worcestershire, having made only one score of more than 50 in five seasons with Yorkshire. But he turned himself into a highly effective lower middle-order batsman with a very upright stance and a "correct" batting style. In 1959, he made 1,042 runs, the only time he passed 1,000 runs in a season – though two years later, in 1961, he was within two runs of a potential record. In this season, he made 998 runs with just one innings of over 50 and a highest score of just 54: had he scored those two runs, he would have had the "lowest highest score" of any player completing 1,000 runs in an English season, a record at present held by his Worcestershire colleague, Dick Richardson
Dick Richardson
For the Welsh boxer see Dick Richardson Dick Richardson is an English former cricketer, who played in one Test for England in 1957. His county cricket career was spent entirely with Worcestershire.The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Richardson's Test career was brief but historic...
.
Booth maintained form and fitness into his forties, and acted as deputy captain for some years before his retirement at the end of the 1968 season. He returned for four first-class matches, and one List A game, in an injury crisis in 1970.
He later worked for Worcestershire serving on the committee for many years.
He was a good soccer player with Yorkshire Amateurs, and had he trails with Burnley F.C.
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
External links
- Wisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' AlmanackWisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, 1955 to 1971 editions - Cricinfo Profile
- Cricket Archive Statistics