for the season. Captaincy New South Welshmen and senior Test players Neil Harvey and Alan Davidson retired at the end of the 1962–63 season, with Simpson being elevated to the vice-captaincy of both NSW and Australia (under Richie Benaud) at the start of the 1963–64 season. In his first innings of the season, Simpson made his highest first-class score of 359, against Queensland, scoring more than half of his team's 661 in an innings win. Playing for a Western Australia Combined XI against the touring South Africans at Perth, Simpson and Benaud combined for a 237-run partnership in the second innings, with Simpson making 246, having scored only four in the first innings. In the next match for New South Wales against Western Australia, Simpson hit an unbeaten 247 as Benaud's men amassed 1/425 declared. Up to this point he had scored 856 runs at 285.33 for the season in four innings. In the second innings, he was dropped down the order to allow other players an opportunity, and he was not required to bat as New South Wales reached their target of 262 with nine wickets in hand. However, Simpson's form peaked ahead of the Tests. He made 41 in his next four innings in tour matches against the South Africans ahead of the Tests, including three scores of no more than one. The First Test against South Africa at Brisbane was drawn and is remembered for the no-balling of Ian Meckiff, which ended his career as Benaud refused to bowl him again. Simpson scored 12 and 34 and took a solitary wicket. After the game, Benaud injured himself in a grade match so Simpson captained NSW for the first time and scored 135 against Victoria. A few days later in the Second Test at Melbourne, with Benaud still absent, Simpson led Australia for the first time. Simpson's appointment to the top job raised eyebrows in some quarters, as he had a reputation for being abrasive, and others had been more successful and experienced at domestic level. Lawry had led Victoria to the Sheffield Shield in 1962–63 and Western Australia's Barry Shepherd had also been praised for his aggressive and bold leadership. At the time Simpson had scored only 1246 runs at 32.78 and taken 22 wickets at 39.40 in 23 Tests and had not scored a century. Simpson was leading an inexperienced team with Benaud, Harvey and Davidson