16 Facts about David Boon - The Free-spirited Australian legend

David Boon was known for his portly figure and distinctive moustache. He became a cult figure in the cricketing world for his colourful character. Initially, he began his career as a middle-order batsman but later became a top order batsman batting at number three and occasionally opening the innings for Australia. Boon was not known as a flamboyant batsman but he was a gritty performer who frustrated the bowlers with his ability to occupy the crease. Boon played a very important role in Australi’s re-emergence as the cricketing power. He is a much-loved personality in Australia and will always be remembered as a thorough entertainer of the game.

1. Born on:

David Clarence Boon was born on 29th December 1960 in the town of Launceston in Tasmania.  He is nicknamed Boonie.

2. Family:

His father Clarrie worked in a news agency and had been a sports administrator. His mother Lesley was an Australian women’s hockey player.

3. ‘Flat Jack’ Simmons spots David Boon:

David Boon was just 10 years old when his talent was spotted by England cricketer Jack Simmons. Simmons was coaching in Launceston at the time and was also captain of the Tasmanian team. He pushed the young Boon forward as a possible Test player and mentored him during a long apprenticeship at first-class level. Boon later acknowledged Simmons by naming his son after him.

4. First-class debut:

At the age of 17, Boon made his first-class debut for Tasmania during the state’s second season of Sheffield Shield cricket, 1978–79.

5. Shows glimpses of his match-winning ability:

As an 18-year-old, Boon played a starring role in Tasmania’s history-making Gillette Cup win in 1978-79, the state’s first interstate one-day title.

6. International debut:

He made his international debut in the third final of the 1983–84 World Series Cup between Australia and the West Indies. He scored 39 from 71 balls for the losing team and had to wait almost twelve months for another opportunity. Some months later in the same year, Boon earned the ‘Baggy Green’ against the same opposition and scored a half-century in the second innings.

7. World Record partnership with Geoff Marsh:

In an ODI against India in Jaipur in 1986, Boon and Geoff Marsh put up a 212-run partnership for the first wicket. Both of them managed centuries. This was the first time ODIs had seen both openers get tons. The double-century stand for the opening partnership was also for the very first time.

8. 1987 World Cup:

Boon played a pivotal role throughout the 1987 World Cup. India Pakistan and West Indies were the favorites in the tournament and Australia almost out of contention. Boon was in fine form in that tournament. Apart from scoring runs in bulk during the league stages, his golden touch saw Australia defeat Pakistan in the first semifinal at Gaddafi Stadium as well when he top-scored again with 65. In the final against England at Eden Gardens, Boon contributed with a crucial 75 (the top-scorer again). Australia won the World Cup eventually and Boon was named the Man of the Match.

9. The Ashes hero:

David Boon played a stellar role in helping Australia win the Ashes in 1993 scoring 3 consecutive centuries at Lord’s, Nottingham and Leeds.

10. County stint:

Boon also led Durham in the English County Championship between 1997 and 1999, guiding the side to its best finish in the last of these three years

11. A member of the Australian selection board:.

Boon was formerly a member of the Cricket Australia selection board, along with Merv Hughes, Andrew Hilditch and the newly appointed Jamie Cox.

12. ICC Match Referee:

In May 2011, it was announced that Boon would be standing down from his position on the selection board, and as general manager of Cricket Tasmania, to become an ICC match referee, replacing Alan Hurst on the ICC Elite Panel. He made his Test debut as a match referee on 1 September 2011 in a one-off Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan at Bulawayo.

13. A popular man in Australian media:

Boon was the topic of a regular skit on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s comedy show The Late Show in a segment called The Oz Brothers. Played by Santo Cilauro and Rob Sitch, Gavin and Neville Oz were quintessential Aussie cricket fans whose home was adorned with posters of Boon, and who would face Launceston and pray to a Budai statue with Boon’s head, chanting “Legend… Legend… Dead-set legend… Top bloke… Top bloke.”

14. The Beer Guzzler:

Boon is said to have consumed 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London in 1989 (the previous record was 44 cans, set by Rod Marsh). This has never been confirmed by Boon, although the feat was confirmed by his teammate Geoff Lawson. This famous story is considered as a part of Australian sporting folklore.

15. Face of Vitoria Bitter:

David Boon was the face of Victoria Bitter (VB) beer for its 2005/06 & 2006/07 summer advertising campaigns, called “Boonanza”. A talking David Boon figurine, ” ”Boonie doll” was sold with beer which would make comments when prompted by Channel Nine commentary.

16. Honours:

David Boon was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the year 1989. In 2005, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. When he announced his intentions to quit first-class cricket, Tasmania’s Cricket Association announced a David Boon Day. It was the last day’s play of Tasmania’s game against New South Wales. Also, in his hometown of Launceston, one of the pavilion’s at the main cricket ground was named David Boon Stand.