Duncan Cooper (cricketer)

Duncan Elphinstone Cooper (c. 1813 – 22 November 1904) was an Indian-born Australian cricketer who played for Victoria. He was born in Bengal, India and died in Paddington.

Duncan Cooper
Personal information
Full name
Duncan Elphinstone Cooper
Bornc. 1813
India
Died22 November 1904
Paddington, London, England
RoleBatsman
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1850/51Victoria
Only First-class11 February 1851 Victoria v Tasmania
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 1
Runs scored 4
Batting average 2.00
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 4
Balls bowled 0
Wickets
Bowling average
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling
Catches/stumpings 1/0
Source: CricketArchive, 7 November 2011

He was the son of Major General George Cooper (1777–1847) and his first wife Jane née Munn (1778–1823).[1]: 3 

In 1841 Cooper travelled from London to Australia with George and Harry Thompson, brothers who were to become his partners as squatters and sheep farmers near Fiery Creek, Raglan.[1]: 4  In his spare time Duncan painted landscapes of the surrounding area which were later gathered together and published as The Challicum Sketch Book.[1] In 1849 he occupied the Warrapinjoe run, adjacent to the Thomson brothers' run, with an extent of 14,052 acres.[2]

Cooper made a single first-class appearance for the Victorian cricket team, during the 1850–51 season, against Tasmania. This match was the first ever first-class cricket match in Australia. Cooper opened the batting, and thus faced the first ball in Australian first-class cricket. He scored four runs in the first innings, and a duck in the second.[3]

In 1854 Cooper left Australia and returned to London. In 1875 he presented 26 volumes of the work of the Bewick brothers to the Melbourne Public Library.[4] He lived in London, a bachelor, until his death at the age of 90.[1]: 21 

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Brown, Philip L (1987). The Challicum Sketch Book 1842-53 (PDF). Canberra, Australia: National Library of Australia. ISBN 978-0-642-10410-6.
  2. ^ "Claims to Leases of Crown Lands". The Melbourne Daily News: 4. 19 February 1849.
  3. ^ "Launceston, Feb 11 - Feb 12 1851, Australian Domestic Season". Cricinfo. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Tuesday, November 16, 1875". The Argus: 4. 16 November 1875.
edit