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David Boon turns sixty.
Everyone knows the story of record-breaking beer-guzzling, but few have recollected it in detail.
I have tried to collate quotes and all that to provide a structure.
But before that, it is important for us to understand how good a cricketer Boon was.
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Everyone knows the story of record-breaking beer-guzzling, but few have recollected it in detail.
I have tried to collate quotes and all that to provide a structure.
But before that, it is important for us to understand how good a cricketer Boon was.
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Boon played key role in Australia's resurgence after their temporary slump in the mid-1980s.
He scored 7,422 runs at 44 in Tests and another 5,964 at 37 in ODIs.
When he retired, only Allan Border had more Test runs among Australians.
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He scored 7,422 runs at 44 in Tests and another 5,964 at 37 in ODIs.
When he retired, only Allan Border had more Test runs among Australians.
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When Australia won the 1987 World Cup, he top-scored five times in the last six matches including the semi-final and the final. One can go on.
He was a deceptively good short-leg fielder, and kept wickets in international cricket.
And he was a very, very popular man.
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He was a deceptively good short-leg fielder, and kept wickets in international cricket.
And he was a very, very popular man.
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But let us return to the eventful flight.
Border's men were out to regain The Ashes in 1989.
The Qantas Jumbo flight took off from Sydney, halted at Singapore, and on April 30, landed at Heathrow.
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Border's men were out to regain The Ashes in 1989.
The Qantas Jumbo flight took off from Sydney, halted at Singapore, and on April 30, landed at Heathrow.
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At that point the record for beer consumption among Australian cricketers on a flight was 44 cans, held jointly by Rod Marsh and Doug Walters.
They were flying home from the Caribbean in 1973.
But flights used to be longer in 1973, so Walters and Marsh had a handicap.
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They were flying home from the Caribbean in 1973.
But flights used to be longer in 1973, so Walters and Marsh had a handicap.
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The attendants were more 'cooperative' as well.
And while Walters had kept a track of his 44, Marsh's is largely undocumented. All we know is that Marsh had matched Walters can by can.
Attempts to break the record in 1977 and 1983 had failed.
But let us return to our flight.
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And while Walters had kept a track of his 44, Marsh's is largely undocumented. All we know is that Marsh had matched Walters can by can.
Attempts to break the record in 1977 and 1983 had failed.
But let us return to our flight.
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Boon started off slowly, accompanied by Merv Hughes and Mark Taylor.
Then Dean Jones joined in. He was the one keeping count during this leg of the flight:
"Boonie had plenty of advice for me as we had just left Singapore and we had just finished our 22nd can of beer."
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Then Dean Jones joined in. He was the one keeping count during this leg of the flight:
"Boonie had plenty of advice for me as we had just left Singapore and we had just finished our 22nd can of beer."
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Almost 50% done, but the mission was far from easy.
Captain Allan Border, coach Bobby Simpson, and Chairman of Selectors Lawrie Sawle were all on the flight.
They were, after all, trying their best to make Australia a supremely fit unit.
The flight took off from Singapore.
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Captain Allan Border, coach Bobby Simpson, and Chairman of Selectors Lawrie Sawle were all on the flight.
They were, after all, trying their best to make Australia a supremely fit unit.
The flight took off from Singapore.
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Jones soon fell asleep on the top deck, where Simpson and Sawle were seated.
Boon continued.
Hughes, Geoff Marsh, Tom Moody, and Carl Rackemann gave him moral support from what The Age called "the non-striker’s end".
Geoff Lawson kept score on a sick bag.
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Boon continued.
Hughes, Geoff Marsh, Tom Moody, and Carl Rackemann gave him moral support from what The Age called "the non-striker’s end".
Geoff Lawson kept score on a sick bag.
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Suddenly there was a loud applause.
Simpson, completely oblivious, told Sawle that someone must have won at cards, just like Simpson himself had when the team flew to England in 1964.
He was in for a rude shock when the captain announced on the PA System that Boon had hit 45.
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Simpson, completely oblivious, told Sawle that someone must have won at cards, just like Simpson himself had when the team flew to England in 1964.
He was in for a rude shock when the captain announced on the PA System that Boon had hit 45.
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The attendants later confirmed the count as 52 cans of Victoria Bitter beers.
However, Hughes (who played 53 Tests), insists that it was 53.
https://twitter.com/MervHughes332/status/1160169489587036161
Hughes had told 53 to Jim White of The Guardian as well, back in 2002.
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However, Hughes (who played 53 Tests), insists that it was 53.
https://twitter.com/MervHughes332/status/1160169489587036161
Hughes had told 53 to Jim White of The Guardian as well, back in 2002.
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Simpson was not amused.
Seizing the opportunity, Jones tried to convince him to send Boon back and have him at #3 instead.
This attempt failed to calm Simpson.
He tried to hush it up, but by the time he put an embargo on the team, a few radio stations had picked it up.
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Seizing the opportunity, Jones tried to convince him to send Boon back and have him at #3 instead.
This attempt failed to calm Simpson.
He tried to hush it up, but by the time he put an embargo on the team, a few radio stations had picked it up.
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End of story? Not quite.
At the press conference, the media did not ask Boon anything (thank goodness).
The team then attended a cocktail party hosted by XXXX (the sponsors). Boon downed three more.
Some sources suggest that he had another couple at Sydney before the flight.
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At the press conference, the media did not ask Boon anything (thank goodness).
The team then attended a cocktail party hosted by XXXX (the sponsors). Boon downed three more.
Some sources suggest that he had another couple at Sydney before the flight.
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Some sources (not necessarily the same as above) mention that Boon went into a 36-hour slumber and missed two practice sessions once all that was over.
That brings us to a very important question: how much did Boon drink?
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That brings us to a very important question: how much did Boon drink?
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These were 375-ml cans, popularly known as 'tinny' or 'stubby'.
If we stick to 52 (sorry, Merv), it amounts to 19.5 litres.
Can you drink as much WATER on a flight?
Then there is the other bit, about the alcohol content.
Let us go by 4.6% ABV.
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If we stick to 52 (sorry, Merv), it amounts to 19.5 litres.
Can you drink as much WATER on a flight?
Then there is the other bit, about the alcohol content.
Let us go by 4.6% ABV.
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Boon consumed 897 ml of pure, undiluted, unadulterated alcohol in the space of 24 hours.
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recommends about a third of that *per week*.
Later that year, Dr Donald Curran wrote in Medical Journal of Australia:
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National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recommends about a third of that *per week*.
Later that year, Dr Donald Curran wrote in Medical Journal of Australia:
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"With the inevitably shorter flights to London, the next record breaker may arrive 'dead' on time … It is well-known that alcohol can have very serious toxic effects on heart muscle resulting in cardiac arrest."
Boon later became brand ambassador of VB.
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Boon later became brand ambassador of VB.
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Finally, a quote from Boon on the subject:
"We played our cricket in an era where blokes learned never to let the truth get in the way of a good story."
"We played our cricket in an era where blokes learned never to let the truth get in the way of a good story."
