by Abhishek Mukherjee
On David Boon's birthday, here are some lesser-known anecdotes about one of cricket's most favourite sons.
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Australia were touring South Africa in 1993-94. After losing the first Test, they levelled the series with a 9-wicket win at Cape Town.
There were celebrations, as expected, and the cricketers returned to their rooms. The bus was scheduled to leave early in the morning, so Boon decided to fit in half an hour's sleep.
His bags were packed, so it did not take much time. He packed the remainder and dragged his carriage towards the reception.
When he passed the porters' station en route, one of the porters sprang into action:
- Mr Boon, may I help you with your bags?
- I'm right. I've only got to take them over there.
- Mr Boon. I can't let you take them any further.
Now this obviously confused Boon. Why would the porter volunteer to carry his luggage to the reception but not allow *him* to proceed?
Let me quote the rest from his autobiography:
"It was at about this point that I stopped to examine my person, and was shocked to find myself totally naked. Not a stitch!"
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Shane Warne's Ball of the Century happened at Old Trafford.
During the Test, on one of the evenings, Boon went out for dinner with Tim May and Ian Healy.
They were using the urinals in the men's washrooms when Boon thought it would be an excellent joke to stretch his hand and tickle May's genitals in the stall next to him.
It had the desired effect, more so because the person was not May. In fact, it was a complete stranger, not even Australian.
To be fair, however, Healy later admitted that the man "looked vaguely similar to May and had a similar-coloured shirt".
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Boon once got a decision at The Gabba that he was not very happy about. He left the ground storming and cursing.
The cursing continued in the dressing room. He hurled his bat and gloves towards his kitbag, and just when he was about to unleash another barrage, the phone rang.
Manager Ian McDonald took the call: "David, your mum wants to talk to you."
She had seen her son swear on television.
The call ended with "sorry, mum".
Boon never swore again on the ground after being dismissed, or at least never in McDonald's memory.
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It is, however, only fair to end on a high.
Australia travelled to West Indies for the 1994-95 tour, the one that witnessed the unofficial transfer of the crown.
As always, the West Indian crowd was after them as much as the fast bowlers and local media.
"We're gonna give you licks, maan! Curtly's gonna kill you!"
Sure enough, Warne, Ponting, and Mark Waugh were received at the Barbados racecourse with "Brian Lara is the best batsman in the world, and on Mars, too."
Warne asked the person about Mark Waugh: "Very, very pretty player."
What about Boon? "Most stubborn batsman in the world."
It was not an exaggeration. Such was the man's resilience that even the unflappable Allan Border gave in to emotions while signing his autobiography for Boon:
"To Babs, My Rock of Gibraltar. Best wishes, Allan Border."