Church Grammar School, one of the state's elite private schools, and represented Queensland in a schoolboy competition in Sydney, scoring 100 against Victoria. He played in the first XI in his final three years, and made his first grade debut in his final year. He remained a wicketkeeper and batted at number three. When he was considered for state selection, his father had to stand aside from the Queensland selection panel. Despite this, Burge's rise through the ranks as continuously accompanied by murmurs of nepotism. He studied chartered accountancy, and was selected for the state U-23 side under the coaching of Wally Walmsley. Shield debut At the time the Queensland wicket-keeper was Test player Don Tallon, member of Bradman's Invincibles, and the reserve was Wally Grout, later to become one of Australia's finest wicket-keepers. Burge decided to give up wicket-keeping and focus purely on batting. Burge progressed to make his Sheffield Shield debut in the Queensland's last match of the 1952–53 season against South Australia. Batting at seven, the first five wickets fell cheaply in each innings, but Burge made a rearguard 54 and 46 respectively. This prevented a defeat. In the following 1953–54 season, Burge found a regular place and began the season in November with 103 against a New South Wales attack which included Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller and Richie Benaud. After failing to pass single figures in the next match, he scored 64 against South Australia, and then ended the season with 88, 47 and 65. In his first full season, Burge had scored 418 runs at 41.80. He started the 1954–55 season in a similar fashion to the previous summer, scoring 122 in the opening match of the season against New South Wales. He scored 90 and 41 in the return match, and after making 53 in the next fixture, his steady progress was rewarded in 1954–55 when he was given his Test debut against England at Sydney in the Fifth Test. Australia had lost the series and this allowed selectors to give younger players a chance to show their skills. Unseasonal rain mean that play did not start until 2 p.m. on the fourth day. Test appearances His first touch of the ball saw him catch Len Hutton at leg slip from the fourth ball of the match. As the players took to the field, Lindwall told him to watch for the fourth ball. Lindwall