John Cocker
 Cocker c.1870 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Collard Cocker |
| Born | 1815 Thurnham, Kent, England |
| Died | 27 March 1885 (aged 69–70) Lower North Adelaide, South Australia |
| Domestic team information | |
| Years | Team |
| 1842 | Kent XI |
| Only FC | 11 July 1842 Kent XI v England XI |
Source: CricInfo, 17 July 2022 | |
John Collard Cocker (1815 – 27 March 1885), known as Joe Cocker, was an English cricketer who played a single first-class cricket match for a Kent XI in 1842.[1][2] He was a key figure in the development of cricket in South Australia after emigrating to the colony in the 1840s and was the curator of the grounds that became Adelaide Oval. He was followed by the first curator of the Adelaide Oval George Gooden.[3][4]
Early life
Cocker was born at Thurnham near Maidstone in Kent in 1815, the son of Thomas and Mary Cocker.[1] His father was a farmer and John played cricket such as Leeds, Bearsted and Yalding, where he played alongside players such as Alfred Mynn and William Hillyer and Ned Wenman, all of whom were key players in the great Kent teams of the day.[5]
Cocker made his only first-class appearance for a Kent team in 1842 at Lord's just before the formation of the first Kent County Cricket Club.[6] Although he did not play in any other first-class matches he seems to have been highly regarded as a lob bowler. He emigrated to Australia in 1846 and established a public house, the Kentish Arms, at Lower North Adelaide.[5][7][8]
Father of South Australian cricket
In South Australia Cocker became an important part of the development of cricket in the colony. He was a "central figure" of the game in Adelaide and considered by the Secretary of the Adelaide Cricket Club as the team's best player at the time. He became the curator of the grounds which became the Adelaide Oval and has been referred to as the "father of South Australian cricket". The Kentish Arms was a venue for cricket-related functions in the city.[5][3][4]
Cocker scored what is one of the first recorded centuries in South Australia. In a single wicket challenge match against a seaman he is reported to have scored 109 runs, dismissing his opponent for less than 20 runs in return.[5][7]
Family
Cocker married Harriet Foster at Newington in Surrey in 1842 before emigrating. The couple had three sons and five daughters.[5][9] His sister, Mary, is believed to have married fellow immigrant Lewis Hollingworth, another Kent cricketer whom Cocker played alongside in club cricket and for West Kent.[6][10]
Death
Cocker died at Lower North Adelaide in 1885 aged 69 survived by his three sons and five daughters and 43 grandkids.[9][2]
References
- 1 2 John Cocker, CricInfo. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- 1 2 "DEATHS". 30 March 1885.
- 1 2 "Kent County Cricketers A to Z pg 91–92" (PDF).
- 1 2 "Adelaide Oval curators tradition honoured in 2024 as Damian Hough prepares pitch for T20 World Cup in New York". 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Carlaw, pp. 114–115. (Retrieved 1 July 2020.)
- 1 2 John Cocker, CricketArchive. Retrieved 23 July 2020. (subscription required)
- 1 2 Adelaide Oval Tells History of Cricket, The Mail, 26 July 1930. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ↑ Kentish Arms Hotel, Adelaide City Heritage. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- 1 2 "DEATHS". 30 March 1885.
- ↑ Carlaw, pp. 262–263.
Bibliography
- Carlaw, Derek (2020). Kent County Cricketers, A to Z: Part One (1806–1914) (PDF). Cardiff: ACS.