Major Booth

Major William Booth, better known as William Booth, (born 10 December 1886 in Lowtown, Pudsey, Yorkshire, England; died 1 July 1916 near La Cigny, France) was a cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1908 and 1914, a season in which he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year. His international career was restricted to playing for England in the 1913-14 tour of South Africa, which was the last Test match tour before the First World War. After receiving a battlefield commission, Booth was known as Second Lieutenant Major Booth, and died soon afterwards when he went over the top on the trenches on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Somme offensive.

Notable feats

His best feats with the ball may be summarised thus:

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• 8 in inns. for 52, Yorkshire v. Leicestershire, at Sheffield 1912
• 8 in inns. for 47, Yorkshire v. Middlesex, at Leeds 1912
• 8 in inns. for 86, Yorkshire v. Middlesex, at Sheffield: 1913
• 7 in inns. for 21, Yorkshire v. M. C. C. and Ground, at Lord's 1914
• 8 in inns. for 64, Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton 1914
• 14 in match for 160, Yorkshire v. Essex, at Leyton 1914
• 3 wkts in 3 balls, Yorkshire v. Worcestershire, at Bardford 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. M. C. C. 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.

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In 1913 Booth was chosen for the Players at Lord's, and during 1913-14 toured South Africa with the M.C.C.'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.

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