Clement Booth

Clement Booth (11 May 1842 – 14 July 1926) was an English first-class cricketer and administrator. Booth played first-class cricket for several teams, but was largely associated with Cambridge University, Hampshire and the Marylebone Cricket Club. He was Hampshire County Cricket Club's second captain at first-class level. As an administrator, he was the honorary secretary of both Lincolnshire and Hampshire.

Early life and cricket career The son of The Reverend Thomas Willingham Booth, he was born in May 1842 at Friskney, Lincolnshire. Booth was educated at Rugby School, where he was coached in cricket by Alfred Diver and Daniel Hayward. From there, he matriculated to Trinity College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, Booth excelled at sport, gaining blues in both cricket and athletics. As a member of Cambridge University Cricket Club, he made his debut in first-class cricket for the University against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Fenner's in 1862. He played first-class cricket for the University until 1865, making ten appearances, which included four in The University Match. Booth played minor matches for an early Lincolnshire county organisation, acting as its honorary secretary from 1867 until the end 1871, when he resigned.

Hampshire cricket and later life In 1872, Booth had moved to Hampshire where he was a farmer at New House Farm in Kilmeston. Besides his lengthy associations with Cambridge University, the MCC and Hampshire, Booth also played first-class cricket on three occasions for the South in the North v South match, as well as making a single appearance each for the Gentlemen of England and an Oxford and Cambridge Universities Past and Present team. Following his bankruptcy, he returned to farming in Lincolnshire at Hundleby Grange near Spilsby. In March 1917, Booth and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, having married at Elkstone near Cheltenham in March 1867. Booth died at Spilsby in July 1926.