The sixth and youngest son of John Henry Cotter, and Margaret Hay Cotter, née Pattison, Albert Cotter was born on 3 December 1883 in Sydney. He died in action, at Beersheba on 31 October 1917. One of his brothers, John, had been killed in action, at Broodseinde, Belgium, three weeks earlier, on 4 October 1917. Two other brothers, Arthur Dale, and Edwin died in railway accidents.
Cricketer
Fast bowler
Although only 5'8" tall — the same height as Harold Larwood — he was arguably the best fast bowler through the first decade of the 20th century, he had a reputation for breaking stumps. Early moving film of his action clearly shows a slinging action that was to cause controversy in England.
"Terror" Cotter
While regarded as the fastest of his era in Australia he did not always have the control to back it up, hitting W.G.Grace on the body with a full toss on his first tour of England.
Test Cricket
He took eight or more wickets in a match four times from his 21 Tests, and his strike rate of 52.0 precisely matches that of Dennis Lillee.
Following the events of 1912, he never played for Australia again.
Best performances
Some of his best bowling performances were:
On 4 April 1904, playing for New South Wales against Queensland: 4 wickets for 5 runs.
On 5 August 1905, playing for Australia against Worcestershire: 7 wickets for 15 runs in the first innings, and 5 wickets for 19 runs in the second innings of a drawn match curtailed by rain.
On 3 July 1909, playing for Australia on the third day of the Third Test against England, at Leeds: 5 second innings wickets for 38 runs.
On 29 April 1911, playing for Glebe against Sydney: 7 wickets for 39, which included 2 wickets with consecutive balls and, then, nine balls later, 4 wickets with four consecutive balls.
Military service
Cotter joined the Australian Imperial Force in April 1915, aged 31. The enlistment of a former sporting champion was seen as powerful publicity for the AIF recruiting campaign. Despite having no great riding ability, he was accepted into the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment; he took a late part in the Gallipoli campaign. Later he transferred to the 12th Light Horse and was commended for his “fine work under heavy fire” during the second battle of Gaza. The official history remarked: “he behaved in action as a man without fear”. He declined promotion. Whilst serving in the AIF, he participated in a unique Australia vs. England "Test Match" played in 1917 between two teams made up from the Australian and British troops stationed in Palestine.
Death
On 31 October 1917 the 4th Light Horse Brigade, of which the 12th Regiment was part, captured Beersheba by a brilliant cavalry-style charge. Although Cotter was there as a stretcher-bearer, he actually took part in the charge itself, and "was shot from the saddle during a mounted charge on a Turkish position": At the end of the charge, as troops dismounted to engage the enemy, a Turk shot Cotter dead at close range.
Legacy
The family home, "Monteith", 266 Glebe Point Road, Glebe, into which the family moved in 1891, is classified by the National Trust ; and the adjoining "Cotter Lane", was so named in 1911.
On 25 January 1919, a memorial plaque dedicated to Albert Cotter was unveiled in the members' pavilion of the Sydney Cricket ground during a break in play in the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Victoria.
