australia arrived in the west indies in 1964–65 for five tests against the emerging power of the 1960s, who were led by the hostile express pace bowling of wes hall and charlie griffith. after narrowly evading a bouncer at the start of his innings, booth made a battling top-score of 56 in the first test loss at sabina park in jamaica. he then made 117 in the second test at port of spain in trinidad, an innings that included a stand of 228 with bob cowper, which helped australia hang on for a draw. it was to be booth's last test century, an innings he regarded as his "most satisfying", having collected a series of bruises, on a ground with no sightscreen. booth did not pass 40 in the last three tests and ended with 234 runs at 29.25 as australia lost 2–1, their first series loss since the 1956 ashes series and their first series loss against a team other than england, excluding a one-off test against pakistan in 1956. he had particular trouble with the pace of griffith, and on one occasion, the paceman hit him on the nose before yorking him on the next ball; booth maintains that he did not see the ball. booth added two more fifties in the four first-class matches outside the tests.