Hello and welcome to Van Life Devotions. For many Australians, Cricket is a part of their DNA. I’ve been to a few international cricket matches but the one I remember with the most enjoyment was when dad took my brother Peter and I to the Centenary Test played at the MCG in 1977 between Australian and England. We got to see cricket legends like Lillie, Marsh, Chappell, Hookes, and Walker.
Over the years, cricket has produced many legends, one of whom was Brian Booth. Sadly, he passed away just a couple of weeks ago on the 19th May. Brian Booth was Australia's 31st men's Test captain. He played 29 Tests, scored five centuries and was a key part in Australia's batting line-up throughout the early part of the 1960s.
Incredibly, Booth also represented Australia in hockey at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
But it was in cricket where he made his name with 1,773 Test runs at an average of 42.21. Described as a “stylish middle-order bat”, Booth scored a century in his first home Test against England in 1962, before posting another in the next match at the MCG.
He averaged 50.5 as Australia retained the Ashes at home before dominating South Africa the following summer with another two Test centuries.
When Bobby Simpson became ill just prior to the first Test, Sir Donald Bradman approached Booth at practice and said, ‘Bob has chicken pox, Brian. You’re captaining tomorrow’.” But a few matches later when Simpson returned Booth was dropped for the younger, up and coming Ian Chappell.
Booth was later elected as Life Member of the Melbourne Cricket Club, received an MBE from the Queen in 1982 and was inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame in 2014. He certainly succeeded.
When Booth was 19, his fellow St George cricketer Roy Gray witnessed to him, and he was converted to Christ. Christ impacted Booth so much that his whole outlook changed. He said, “Until that point, sport had been my God. Now I sensed a greater purpose in living than success in cricket’’. He was then about to retire when his wife persuaded him to continue. He did and a two-year record of 1276 Sheffield Shield runs at 63 gained him the last batting spot on Australia’s 1961 Ashes tour where he made his debut. Full marks to Brian’s wife Judith for encouraging him to keep on going!
His faith gave him purpose and defined who he was. He was known to start walking off when he knew he was out even before the umpire made the call. He was often remembered as a real gentleman of the sport. Playing club cricket into retirement, Booth held to his personal conviction that he shouldn’t play on Sundays. He turned his attention to being vice-president of NSW Cricket Association and the Liberal Party candidate for St George in the 1974 election. Within the Anglican Church, Booth became a lay preacher, often speaking at various Christian functions, and wrote a few books, one which was given to me at my baptism “Booth To Bat”.
Brian Booth’s faith in Christ provides a challenge to any person seeking success – that there is more to life, and that is having faith in Jesus Christ and living in His Will. While not saying that someone shouldn’t achieve in life, Jesus did say, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26 NIV). You may be achieving much, so please learn from people like Brian Booth and the teaching of Jesus, that there is more to life than just our achievements. At the 1924 Paris Olympics, American Jackson Scholz gave a note to fellow competitor and Christian Eric Liddle just before they competed. The note read, “He who honours Me, I will honour…” – a quote from 1 Samuel 2 verse 30. Liddell then went on to win the 400-yard race and win his gold medal. Honouring God in all seasons of life is an important biblical principle that has a promise.
Let’s pray.
Dear God. Thank you for the life and faith of Brian Booth. Help us all to recognise that there is more to life than just seeking success or even enjoyment as we travel. Help us all to honour you in all that we do. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
David Moyes
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