Few Australian cricketers have a story that stretches from the batting crease to the referee’s seat quite like David Boon. He’s the Tasmanian batter who scored 7,422 Test runs, won four Ashes series, and somehow became just as famous for what he allegedly drank on a single flight. This article traces his playing career, his current role as an ICC Elite Match Referee, and the legend that refuses to fade.
Full name: David Clarence Boon ·
Born: 29 December 1960 ·
Role: ICC Elite Match Referee, former cricketer ·
Test runs: 7,422 ·
Highest Test score: 200 ·
Nickname: Boonie
Quick snapshot
- Played 107 Tests for Australia (ESPNcricinfo)
- Scored 7,422 Test runs at 43.65 (ABC News)
- Served 14 years as ICC match referee (ESPN)
- Awarded MBE in 1995 (Wikipedia)
- Exact number of beers on the 1989 flight (often cited as 52 but disputed)
- Net worth — not publicly confirmed
- Full details of son Alex Boon’s career
- Transition away from ICC match referee role (David Boon official website)
- Continued involvement at Cricket Tasmania as head of cricket (David Boon official website)
Six facts that define Boon’s professional footprint, one pattern: a career built on consistent performance across four decades.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 December 1960 |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| Teams | Australia, Tasmania |
| Test debut | vs West Indies, 1984 |
| ODI debut | vs Sri Lanka, 1984 |
| Match referee since | 2015 |
What is David Boon doing now?
Current role as ICC match referee
- David Boon is an ICC Elite Match Referee, one of only seven on the elite panel (David Boon official website).
- He served as a match referee for 14 years, officiating in 87 Tests, 190 ODIs, and 112 T20Is (ESPN).
- His final assignment was the second Bangladesh-Zimbabwe Test in Chattogram in 2025 (ESPN).
- He officiated 389 matches in total across all formats (ICC on X).
Previous roles as selector and commentator
- He was a Cricket Australia selector from 2007 to 2011 (David Boon official website).
- He worked as a commentator for Channel 9 after retiring from playing (Wikipedia).
- He is the head of cricket at Cricket Tasmania (David Boon official website).
The pattern: Boon didn’t just leave the field — he became the authority in the official’s seat. For a Tasmanian who started as a teenager in 1978, the arc from player to selector to referee is unusually complete. Why this matters: the same steady judgment that made him a reliable number three now shapes how international matches are run.
Cricket Australia and the ICC have effectively outsourced on-field integrity to a man who spent 15 years proving he could handle pressure at the crease. The result: 389 matches without a major controversy around his officiating.
What is David Boon famous for?
Test and ODI batting career
- Boon played 107 Tests and 181 ODIs for Australia (ESPNcricinfo).
- He scored 7,422 Test runs at an average of 43.65 (ABC News).
- In ODIs, he scored 5,964 runs across 181 matches (David Boon official website).
- He hit five ODI centuries (David Boon official website).
- His highest Test score is 200 not out against New Zealand (ESPNcricinfo).
Beer drinking legend
- The story claims Boon drank 52 cans of beer on a flight to England in 1989 (ESPNcricinfo).
- The exact number is widely disputed, with some sources saying 52, others fewer (Wikipedia).
- The legend has been immortalised in Australian cricket folklore and linked to VB beer (David Boon official website).
- Boon himself has given varying accounts over the years, neither confirming nor fully denying the 52-can figure (ESPNcricinfo).
Tasmanian cricket icon
- He is a proud Tasmanian and played his entire first-class career for Tasmania (ICC).
- He was awarded an MBE in 1995 for services to cricket (Wikipedia).
- He holds the record for most Test runs by a Tasmanian (ABC News).
The trade-off: Boon’s beer flight story often overshadows his batting achievements — but the real career was built on 7422 Test runs, not 52 cans. For Australian cricket fans, his legacy as a batter is solid, even if a cold VB remains part of the image.
A player who averaged 43.65 at Test level across 12 years belongs in the conversation about Australia’s best number threes. The beer myth, however entertaining, risks burying the actual statistical career.
How many beers did David Boon have on a flight?
The famous flight to England in 1989
- The story originated from the 1989 Ashes tour flight from Sydney to London (ESPNcricinfo).
- According to folklore, Boon consumed 52 cans of beer during the flight (Wikipedia).
- Fellow players have corroborated parts of the story, though details vary (ABC News).
The actual number and variations
- The exact number is disputed, with some accounts suggesting 52 and others reporting a lower figure (Wikipedia).
- Boon has given conflicting statements over the years, never confirming one specific number (ESPNcricinfo).
- The claim is classified as low confidence — no primary source with concrete evidence has been produced (Wikipedia).
Cultural impact
- The story has become part of Australian cricket lore, often referenced in media and by fans (David Boon official website).
- VB beer has used the legend in marketing over the years (Wikipedia).
- The myth arguably elevated Boon’s profile beyond cricket circles more than his runs did (ESPNcricinfo).
The catch: there’s no verified record of the exact count. For anyone researching Boon’s real career, the beer story is a distraction — but for Australian beer culture, it’s a myth that sells.
Where does David Boon live now?
Residence in Tasmania
- Boon lives in Tasmania, Australia, where he has remained based after his playing career (Wikipedia).
- He maintains a low profile regarding his exact residential location (David Boon official website).
- His role at Cricket Tasmania keeps him grounded in the state cricket community (David Boon official website).
Family life
- He is married, though his wife’s name is not widely publicised (Wikipedia).
- He has two children (Wikipedia).
- His son’s name is Alex Boon (Wikipedia).
The implication: Boon’s decision to stay in Tasmania, rather than moving to Sydney or Melbourne for media work, reinforces his identity as a state cricket figure. For Tasmanian cricket, having him as head of cricket is a direct pipeline from the elite level back to grassroots.
Who is David Boon’s son?
Son’s name and background
- David Boon’s son is named Alex Boon (Wikipedia).
- Alex Boon is not a professional cricketer (Wikipedia).
- Details about Alex Boon’s career are not widely published (Wikipedia).
Clarification on Travis Head
- David Boon is NOT the father of Australian cricketer Travis Head (Wikipedia).
- Travis Head’s father is a different person, unrelated to David Boon (Wikipedia).
- This confusion arises occasionally in online searches due to both being Australian cricketers (Wikipedia).
The pattern: there is no dynastic cricket family here. Boon’s son chose a path outside professional sport, and the Travis Head rumour is simply an internet myth — much like the 52-beer story, only without the fun.
Timeline
- 1960: Born in Launceston, Tasmania (Wikipedia)
- 1978/79: First-class debut for Tasmania (ICC)
- 1984: Test and ODI debut for Australia (ABC News)
- 1989: Famous flight to England with beer legend (ESPNcricinfo)
- 1995: Awarded MBE (Wikipedia)
- 1999: Retired from international cricket (ESPNcricinfo)
- 2000s: Cricket commentator for Channel 9 (Wikipedia)
- 2007–2011: Cricket Australia selector (David Boon official website)
- 2015: Became ICC Elite Match Referee (ESPN)
- 2025: Final assignment as match referee (ICC on X)
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- David Boon is an ICC match referee (David Boon official website)
- He played 107 Tests for Australia (ESPNcricinfo)
- He scored 7,422 Test runs (ESPNcricinfo)
- He was born on 29 December 1960 (Wikipedia)
- He has an MBE (Wikipedia)
What’s unclear
- Exact number of beers on the flight (often cited as 52 but disputed) (ESPNcricinfo)
- Net worth (not publicly confirmed)
- Full details of his son’s career (Wikipedia)
“Now an ICC Elite Official; a former Cricket Australia selector, head of Cricket Department at Tasmanian cricket…”
— David Boon, via official website
“David Boon’s mythical half-century”
— Jarrod Kimber, cricket writer on ESPNcricinfo (ESPNcricinfo)
Summary
David Boon’s career offers a rare full circle: from teenage debutant for Tasmania to the man who ensured international matches ran fairly for 14 years. The lesson is that steady reliability — at the crease, in the selection room, and in the referee’s chair — carries more weight than any single myth. For the ICC, losing Boon from the elite panel means finding a replacement with the same blend of playing experience and calm authority. For anyone still searching for the truth about 52 beers: the exact number remains unverified, but the legend is already part of the game’s folklore.
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For more details on his transition from player to official, you can read about David Boons match referee career and the myths surrounding his famous flight.
Frequently asked questions
What is David Boon’s batting average in Tests?
43.65 across 107 Tests (ABC News).
When did David Boon get his MBE?
1995 (Wikipedia).
How many Test centuries did David Boon score?
He scored 21 Test centuries (ESPNcricinfo).
Is David Boon in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame?
He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame but is not listed in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (Wikipedia).
What was David Boon’s highest score in ODIs?
His highest ODI score is 122 (ESPNcricinfo).
Did David Boon play for Tasmania Cricket?
Yes, he played his entire first-class career for Tasmania (ICC).
What is David Boon’s role at Cricket Australia?
He is no longer a CA selector. He is head of cricket at Cricket Tasmania and an ICC Elite Match Referee (David Boon official website).
Why is David Boon associated with Carlton Football Club?
He is not formally associated — the confusion may stem from being a Tasmanian sports figure with AFL connections (Wikipedia).
Noah Harper is Senior Reporter at Southern Focus, covering breaking stories and explainers.