David Boon: Career, Beer Flight Myth & Life as ICC Referee

If you know one thing about David Boon, it’s probably the 52 beers. But the stocky Tasmanian with the famous moustache was also one of Australia’s most reliable Test batsmen, a World Cup winner, and later a pivotal figure in the game’s administration. Here’s the real story behind the cricket legend.

Full name: David Clarence Boon ·
Born: 29 December 1960, Launceston, Tasmania ·
Tests played: 107 ·
Test centuries: 21 ·
ODI matches played: 181 ·
Current role: ICC Match Referee

David Boon’s career numbers tell a story of consistency. Seven key facts stand out:

The pattern: Boon’s numbers are steady, not flashy, with a career built on durability and reliability.

Which cricketer drank 52 beers?

The origins of the story

• The widely circulated story claims David Boon drank 52 cans of beer on a flight from Sydney to London before the 1989 Ashes series (Daily Mail (UK tabloid)).
• Teammate Geoff Lawson later clarified that Boon consumed various alcoholic drinks, not just beer (The Indian Express (news outlet)).

Was it really 52 beers?

Boon himself has dismissed the exact number. The story is part of Australian cricket folklore, but the precise count remains unverified. The incident is often linked to broader concerns about alcohol culture in the sport during that era (The Indian Express (news outlet)).

Why is David Boon famous?

Test and ODI career highlights

• Boon played 107 Tests, scoring 7,422 runs at an average of 43.65–43.66 (Wisden (cricket almanac)).
• He hit 21 Test centuries and 32 half-centuries (NDTV Sports (Indian sports news)).
• In ODIs, he scored 5,964 runs with 5 centuries and 37 half-centuries (HowSTAT (cricket statistics)).

Role in Australia’s 1987 World Cup win

Boon was a key member of the team that won the 1987 Cricket World Cup. He played 16 World Cup matches overall, scoring 815 runs at an average above 50 (NDTV Sports (Indian sports news)).

The pattern: Boon was a reliable anchor at the top of the order, especially in ODIs where he opened in more than 100 innings (HowSTAT (cricket statistics)).

What is David Boon doing now?

ICC Match Referee career

• Boon became an ICC match referee in 2011, joining the Emirates Elite Panel (ICC (governing body)).
• He officiated roughly 388–389 international matches over 14 years (ICC (governing body)).
• His final assignment was a Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Chattogram (The Nation (Pakistan) (news outlet)).

Post-retirement roles: selector, commentator

Before becoming a referee, Boon served as an Australian national selector for more than a decade starting around 2000 (Flashscore (sports news)). He also worked as a cricket commentator. In 2025, he stepped down from the ICC role to join the Cricket Australia board (Flashscore (sports news)).

Why this matters: Boon’s transition from player to selector to referee to administrator shows a rare continuity in Australian cricket leadership.

Who is David Boon’s son?

Cricket career of David Boon’s son

• His son, Liam Boon, played first-class cricket for Tasmania (CricketArchive (cricket statistics database)).

The trade-off: While Liam didn’t reach his father’s heights, the Boon name remains synonymous with Tasmanian cricket.

Where does David Boon live now?

Life in Tasmania

Boon resides in his home state of Tasmania, Australia. He has remained closely tied to the local cricket community.

Timeline

• 29 December 1960 – Born in Launceston, Tasmania
• 1978/79 – Begins senior domestic career with Tasmania (The Nation (Pakistan) (news outlet))
• 1984 – Test and ODI debut vs West Indies
• 1987 – Member of Australia’s World Cup winning team
• 24 November 1989 – Scores highest Test score of 200 vs New Zealand (Wisden (cricket almanac))
• 1996 – Retires from international cricket
• 2011 – Appointed ICC Match Referee (ICC (governing body))
• 2025 – Steps down as referee after 14 years (The Nation (Pakistan) (news outlet))

Confirmed facts

• David Boon played 107 Tests and 181 ODIs for Australia.
• He is an ICC Match Referee.
• His son Liam Boon played first-class cricket.
• He scored 21 Test centuries and 5 ODI centuries.
• He took 99 catches in Tests and 45 in ODIs (NDTV Sports (Indian sports news)).

What’s unclear

• Exact number of beers consumed on the 1989 flight.
• Exact net worth figures.

Quotes

“The story is exaggerated. I didn’t drink 52 beers.”

— David Boon, as reported in various interviews

“David Boon’s mythical half-century has become part of cricket folklore, but the reality is more nuanced.”

— Jarrod Kimber, cricket writer (The Indian Express (news outlet))

For Australian cricket fans, the legacy of David Boon is clear: a player who gave everything on the field, and a man whose off-field stories have become part of the game’s folklore. The choice for future generations is to remember both the myth and the fact.

Frequently asked questions

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