The Legend of Boon

Written by Dean Jones

The 1989 Ashes tour did not start off properly as it should have. My father insisted
on me to take some time and sit next to David Boon and ask him how he will prepare
himself for this most important tour. Boonie had plenty of advice for me as we had just
left Singapore and we had just finished our 22nd can of beer. David was just settling in
for a good session and I was looking worse for wear. Boonie was in no doubt chasing Rod
Marsh's record of 46 cans from Sydney to London, which defeated Doug Walters' record of
44 cans. Realising my state of fitness and lack of health and my poor balance I decided to
draw up a roster system to find Boonie some drinking partners. After contacting every player,
I decided sleep was the best remedy for my health.

Eight hours later I woke up to this tumultuous round of applause with the cheers and
congratulations going to our dear "keg on two feet"...David Boon. Hearing this boisterous
applause, our coach (and selector), Bob Simpson, thought Boon had won a big card game.
To Simpson's horror, our captain (Alan Border) got onto the PA system and congratulated
Boonie's fantastic effort by breaking the record with a staggering 52 cans. Simpson
went purple with anger. The difference between Walters, Marsh and Boon was
that Boon walked off the plane, and the others were carried off.


The team went straight to the hotel where we had to go to our first cocktail party
which was for our major sponsor, the Queensland beer company... XXXX!!!! I left Boon,
who was my room mate, at the party, and I went to bed. I later received a call from the
concierge to ask if I could collect Mr Boon because he had passed out in the foyer in the
hotel. On my arrival in the foyer, I quickly realised that Boonie was too heavy to pick up,
so I used the porters' trolley to carry him upstairs. As I entered the lift there was Bob Simpson
who mentioned to me that when David wakes up, he should ring Bob for a "quiet chat".
Well Boonie did not wake up for 36 hours, and missed two training sessions during
his drunken slumber. The team thought it was hilarious and everyone was quite proud to
witness a fantastic accomplishment, except for Simpson. Boonie eventually had that
"quiet chat" with Simpson and was fined $5000, and was an inch away of nearly being sent home.


Boon went on to make over 500 runs for the test series, averaging over 70. I'd say he had
good preparation but I suppose others wouldn't. This feat of 52 cans will never be beaten with
the strict rules in place for touring teams now. In saying that, we as players were still very
professional in everything we did back then. You see, we did the required warm ups and
warm downs even in those days where Boon actually had 3 beers in the lounge in Sydney
before we even got on the plane! Add that with 52 cans from Sydney to London, and 3 pints of
beer at the XXXX function you would dare say that none of the current Australian cricket team
would have the courage or the guts to attempt such a magnificent effort.