Rick McCosker

McCosker relinquished his role as Chaplain in 2016, but he continues to work as a volunteer at Newcastle's Mission to Seafarers.

In mid-2012, about 18 months after retiring from his financial planning business, McCosker became Catholic chaplain to the Port of Newcastle.

McCosker was an Australian selector for the 1984–85 season but resigned at the end of the summer. He continued playing grade cricket with New Lambton in Newcastle. He retired in 1988.

McCosker was unsure whether to keep playing. "I've got to look at the business scene and the home front before I tell the selectors I'm available to play and perhaps take on the leadership again," he said in June 1983. "Leadership is a demanding task and the amount of time spent away from home and business at this time of my life can present long term problems."

In June 1983 Dirk Wellham was appointed captain of NSW. McCosker played on, occasionally captaining NSW. He retired from first class cricket at the end of the season. In June 1984 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

He decided to play on and led NSW to the Sheffield Shield in 1982–83, the first time they had won that trophy in a number of years.

McCosker was appointed captain of NSW for 1981-82 initially just for one game. By this stage he was living and working in Newcastle. McCosker ended up captaining NSW for the whole season.

McCosker was back in the Australian one day team in 1981–82, replacing an injured Graeme Wood. He scored 20 against the West Indies, 13 against Pakistan, and 18 against the West Indies.

McCosker announced himself unavailable for the 1980 tour of Pakistan. He was overlooked for the 1980 tour of England, even though pundits had thought he would be selected.

McCosker was kept as NSW captain for the 1980–81 season. He played well for NSW, taking part in a 319 run partnership with John Dyson against WA, and thought he was an "outside chance" of making the test team. It did not happen - McCosker was overlooked for selection on the 1981 tour of England as well.

McCosker was appointed NSW captain at the start of the 1979–80 season.

McCosker played two series of World Series Cricket. This included going on the 1978 tour of the West Indies, replacing Ian Davis. On that tour he broke a finger but recovered to score 95 in a one-day international.

He is well remembered for playing in the 1977 Centenary Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after he had his jaw broken by a bouncer off Bob Willis in the 1st innings. In the second innings he batted at number ten in bandages with his jaw wired shut, making 25, and sharing a 54 run partnership for the ninth wicket in with Rod Marsh. This was a crucial contribution in a tight match which Australia won by 45 runs.

McCosker toured England in 1977. His jaw had to be rewired.

He also played in the World Series Cricket team, and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1976.

McCosker played in 25 Test matches and 14 One Day Internationals in a career spanning 1975 to 1982, playing as a right hand batsman.

McCosker's scores in the first three tests of the 1975 ashes were 59, 29 and 79, and 0 and 95 not out. He was 95 not out with one day to play the test was abandoned due to the pitch being vandalised.

At the beginning of the 1975–76 season McCosker was appointed captain of NSW when Doug Walters was injured.

McCosker started the 1974-75 brilliantly scoring 682 runs. He was picked in the Australian side for the fourth test against England replacing Wally Edwards. He scored 80 in the first innings, but was injured and did not bat in the second.

Richard Bede McCosker OAM (born 11 December 1946) is a former Australian cricketer.

In the fifth test he made 35 and 11. In the 6th he scored 0 and 76.

However he was back in the team for the 6th test making 21 and 109.