![Save Up to 30% at Accor Hotels with MasterCard [Japan]](https://boardingarea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/3294bc4b6d1941eef8987e0e40318da7.jpg?#)
I drank 52 beers on flight before winning The Ashes and now finally calling time on epic career for new job
David Boon has called time on his second legendary career in cricket, stepping down as an ICC match referee at the age of 64. The iconic moustached Australian’s final game of his 14-year officiating spell came on Wednesday as he oversaw the second test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Chattogram. Boon will be saying goodbye to the pitch after 26 yearsGetty He was also a legendary playerGetty Before that he had an elite career as a batter, spanning 12 years from 1984 to 1996. During that time he won four Ashes titles and a Cricket World Cup in 1987 where he was named player of the final when he scored 75 to beat England. Overall he scored 7422 runs in 107 Test with 21 centuries and 5964 runs in 181 ODIs with five centuries. Yet he was often a figure that transcended the sport, not just because of his moustache. In 1989 ‘Boony’ became part of cricket folklore over a story that he drank 52 beers on a flight from Australia to England before winning The Ashes. He commented that the figure had been embellished, but later admitted the incident took place when responding in 2022. “What I won’t deny is that we had a beer,” he said on BackChat Sports Show. “But to be perfectly honest, if it was that many, how the hell would I know? “I do know the exercise was initiated by Terry Alderman and he was the one that initially gathered information and was in charge of the whole thing. “Then my mate Geoffrey Robert egged me on… I had drinking partners throughout. “Terry didn’t drop out that many before I managed to do whatever it was.” Boon and beer couldn’t be separated after the storyGetty Boon then took a serious turn, continuing: “I’ve got to be brutally honest here, I won’t deny it happened… We all do stupid things in our lives. “You have fun, you do something and then you think ‘s*** what about the ramifications to everything else’, to your family to your children. “It caused some crap over the years and it’s something that I regret… a lot. “I can’t deny it but I do regret it. And I was stupid to be able to do that when you’re in the public eye.” Having stopped playing in ‘96, Boon moved into officiating at the elite level and covered 87 Tests, 190 ODIs and 119 T20Is. He will now take up a new role as board director at Cricket Australia, and made the following statement. “It is with mixed emotions that I finish my time as a match referee with the ICC,” he said. “It has been an incredible honour and pleasure to be a part of this journey spanning nearly 14 years. “I am grateful for the opportunity, including the challenges, the many cherished memories and friendships I’ve made along the way. “I feel privileged to have stayed so connected to our great game, witnessing international cricket from such close quarters. “I hope that I leave having made a difference and contributed to officiating the world game. “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the ICC and Cricket Australia for their support over the years in this chapter of my involvement in the game.”
David Boon has called time on his second legendary career in cricket, stepping down as an ICC match referee at the age of 64.
The iconic moustached Australian’s final game of his 14-year officiating spell came on Wednesday as he oversaw the second test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in Chattogram.
Before that he had an elite career as a batter, spanning 12 years from 1984 to 1996.
During that time he won four Ashes titles and a Cricket World Cup in 1987 where he was named player of the final when he scored 75 to beat England.
Overall he scored 7422 runs in 107 Test with 21 centuries and 5964 runs in 181 ODIs with five centuries.
Yet he was often a figure that transcended the sport, not just because of his moustache.
In 1989 ‘Boony’ became part of cricket folklore over a story that he drank 52 beers on a flight from Australia to England before winning The Ashes.
He commented that the figure had been embellished, but later admitted the incident took place when responding in 2022.
“What I won’t deny is that we had a beer,” he said on BackChat Sports Show. “But to be perfectly honest, if it was that many, how the hell would I know?
“I do know the exercise was initiated by Terry Alderman and he was the one that initially gathered information and was in charge of the whole thing.
“Then my mate Geoffrey Robert egged me on… I had drinking partners throughout.
“Terry didn’t drop out that many before I managed to do whatever it was.”
Boon then took a serious turn, continuing: “I’ve got to be brutally honest here, I won’t deny it happened… We all do stupid things in our lives.
“You have fun, you do something and then you think ‘s*** what about the ramifications to everything else’, to your family to your children.
“It caused some crap over the years and it’s something that I regret… a lot.
“I can’t deny it but I do regret it. And I was stupid to be able to do that when you’re in the public eye.”
Having stopped playing in ‘96, Boon moved into officiating at the elite level and covered 87 Tests, 190 ODIs and 119 T20Is.
He will now take up a new role as board director at Cricket Australia, and made the following statement.
“It is with mixed emotions that I finish my time as a match referee with the ICC,” he said.
“It has been an incredible honour and pleasure to be a part of this journey spanning nearly 14 years.
“I am grateful for the opportunity, including the challenges, the many cherished memories and friendships I’ve made along the way.
“I feel privileged to have stayed so connected to our great game, witnessing international cricket from such close quarters.
“I hope that I leave having made a difference and contributed to officiating the world game.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the ICC and Cricket Australia for their support over the years in this chapter of my involvement in the game.”
