Richard Bede McCosker (born 11 December 1946) is a former Australian cricketer. He was a part of the Australian squad which finished as runners-up at the 1975 Cricket World Cup.
McCosker played in 25 Test matches and 14 One Day Internationals in a career spanning 1975 to 1982, playing as a right hand batsman.
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.
He also played in the World Series Cricket team, and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1976.
He is depicted by Aidan March in the Channel 9 series Howzat! Kerry Packer's War.
McCosker was born in Inverell. He moved to Sydney aged 21 to work in a bank. It took him six years to graduate from grade cricket to the NSW side.
He was selected as 12th man for NSW in 1973-74
He scored a century in his debut first class game.
McCosker started the 1974-75 season 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.
In the fifth test he made 35 and 11. In the 6th he scored 0 and 76.
He was picked in the squad to tour England to play the World Cup and a four-test series.
In the World Cup, McCosker scored 73 against Sri Lanka. 0 against the West Indies, 15 against England in the semi-final and 7 in the final.
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.
In the fourth test however he managed to score 127, his debut test century.
At the beginning of the 1975–76 season McCosker was appointed captain of NSW when Doug Walters was injured.
McCosker scored 1 and 2 in the first test against the West Indies. He followed this with 0 and 13 and 4 and 22. McCosker was dropped in favour of Graham Yallop. "I am sure Rick is good enough to fight his way back into the team", said Greg Chappell. "He'll appreciate the break after 12 months of high-pressure international cricket".
However he was back in the team for the 6th test making 21 and 109.
He made 0 in a one-day international against the West Indies.