The cricket community in Australia is mourning the loss of Bob Cowper, a legendary figure known for his historic triple century. Cowper passed away over the weekend at the age of 84.
Cowper, a representative of Victoria, played for Australia in 27 Test matches between 1964 and 1968 before retiring at the young age of 28 to pursue a successful career in finance. Among his notable achievements is the record of scoring 307 runs, a monumental feat that spanned 12 hours during a match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1966. This was the first instance of an Australian batsman scoring a triple century against England and remained the sole example of a Test triple-century in Australia until Matthew Hayden’s performance in 2003.
In addition to his impressive playing career, Cowper was a key figure in the development of professional cricket, contributing significantly to the establishment of the World Series Cricket. Following his retirement from active cricket, Cowper achieved considerable financial success, eventually becoming a multimillionaire with a base in Monaco, working in the fields of stockbroking and banking.
Cowper, affectionately known as “Wallaby” during his playing days, was the son of Dave Cowper, a former captain of the Australian rugby union team, the Wallabies.
“Cricket Australia is deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Cowper, a highly respected figure in our sport,” stated Mike Baird, the chair of Cricket Australia. “Bob will be remembered not only for his memorable triple-century at the MCG and his significant contributions to the Australian and Victorian teams in the 1960s, but also for his roles off the field. His wisdom was always valued, and he served as an ICC match referee among other roles. On behalf of Cricket Australia, we extend our deepest condolences to Bob’s family, friends, and former teammates during this sad period.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/11/australian-cricket-community-mourns-death-of-batter-and-ashes-hero-bob-cowper
