Born 1940 Melbourne -

Played for : Victoria, Western Australia and Australia

Bob Cowper was a strong left-handed batsman who scored all around the wicket, but had a preference to square cuts, hooks and deft leg glances. He was very consistent, scoring at an average of 46.84 per innings with 5 centuries. It didn't matter where he played, either opening or middle order, the results were the same. He toured most Test cricketing nations including England in 1964 and 1968, South Africa, Pakistan, the West Indies and India.

Cowper didn't establish himself as a Test player during the 1964 tour, even though he scored over 1200 runs at 51.48, it wasn't until his next tour in 1965 (West Indies) that he settled into his role as a Test cricketer. On that tour he hit 2 centuries and scored 417 runs, leading the run aggregate for the series. He was recalled for the 5th Test against England at Melbourne in the 1965/6 series and duly went on to score 307 runs. It was the highest innings in a Test in Australia and the 4th longest in Test history (12 hours and 7 minutes).

He acted as advisor to Kerry Packer during the initial negotiations with the ACB dealing with Kerry Packers emergence in International cricketing circles. Cowper also became one of the early ICC referees.