William Cooper (cricketer)

William Henry Cooper, born on 11 September 1849 and died on 5 April 1939, was an English-born Australian cricketer who played in two Test matches, one in each of the 1881-82 and 1884-85 seasons. Born in Kent, he migrated to Australia with his family at the age of eight and did not begin competitive cricket until 27, when his doctor advised more exercise. A leg-spin bowler, he made his first-class debut for Victoria at 29 and took six wickets in the second innings on his Test debut against England in Melbourne in January 1882. He toured England in 1884 but badly damaged his spinning finger playing deck hockey on the voyage and never fully recovered. He later served as a Victorian selector, took up bowls and won his South Melbourne club title eight times, and was Australia's oldest living Test cricketer when he died.