Researching Mark Scott

Scott appeared on a number of occasions for the Second XIs of Middlesex and Glamorgan between 1977 and 1980 before moving to Worcestershire, for whom he made his first-class debut in June 1981 against Surrey at The Oval. Opening the batting, Scott made 46 and 52, and retained his place for much of the rest of the season thanks to some solid scores including what was to prove his only first-class century, 109 against Gloucestershire in mid-July. He finished the 1981 season with 968 first-class runs at 26.08, including that hundred and six further half-centuries though his one-day form was less impressive as his top score was only 42.

Scott began the 1982 season fairly well established in the Worcestershire side, but a succession of low scores saw him play only occasionally from mid-season onwards. In 1983 he forced his way back into the first team, but again did poorly, making a pair against Nottinghamshire in July in what turned out to be his penultimate first-class match (he made 23 and 21 in his last, against Essex in late August).

Scott left Worcestershire for Sussex in 1984, and remained for 1985 as well, but never played a first-team game for that county and after a year out of county cricket he returned to New Road in 1987 to begin an unusual final chapter of his Worcestershire career. He never played first-team cricket for the county again, but for six seasons he captained the Second XI, often coming in at the bottom of the order despite his batting ability. Against Hampshire II in 1991 he made 2 from number 11 in the first innings, then when Worcestershire followed on he opened the batting and hit 181! He amassed 61 not outs from 94 innings during these years in the seconds.

In 1993 Scott was part of the victorious Old Hill team which beat local rivals West Bromwich Dartmouth in the final of the Abbot Ale National Club Championship at Lord's, and six years later he made one final List A appearance for the Worcestershire Cricket Board XI against Hampshire Cricket Board in the NatWest Trophy.

Scott is one of very few Level 4 cricket coaches in the world and is now coaching the Gresham's School First XI cricket team in Holt, a small town in Norfolk, England. He took the First XI on a tour to Barbados (#YOBO) for their pre-season in his first week with the team and that turned out to be a successful tour, in which Frankie Sutton failed to score a 100.

In June 2016, Scott was appointed Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education. In March 2021, Scott was announced as being appointed the 27th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, commencing in July 2021.

During the Home Run Derby show, he both announced the action and interviewed each contestant when his opponent was batting. His most well known line from the show was, "It's a home run or nothing here on Home Run Derby."

Prior to Home Run Derby, he had been an announcer for the Cincinnati Redlegs and for the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League, which transferred out of the city after the 1957 season due to the arrival of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Although Scott, a full-forward, had a career in the VFL which spanned over a decade he is probably best known for his performances in the reserves. In 168 reserve games he kicked 655 goals, only showing similar goalkicking skills in the seniors at St Kilda. He topped the Saint's goalkicking twice, with 48 goals in 1980 and 45 goals in 1982. He had started the 1980 season with Hawthorn but during the season was traded to St Kilda for Russell Greene.

Scott was born into a medical family based in Dorset. He was the son of Maitland Bodley Scott (1878–1942) and the youngest of six sons. As a child, he lived in Shiplake on the River Thames.

Scott was educated at Bryanston School. Aged 18, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II. While on active service in Sicily, he was wounded in a mortar bomb explosion, during which he lost one eye and his other eye was damaged by shrapnel. He was in hospital recuperating for almost a year in North Africa.

In 1946 when he was demobilised, he joined North London Polytechnic, studying architecture. He also joined the Thames Rowing Club. He rowed in the 1948 Henley Regatta and then for Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics, in the coxed pairs event, with Bakie James.

Mark Bodley Scott was involved in local government, including Sonning Parish Council and Wokingham Rural District Council. He was also chair of Sonning Working Men’s Club.

In 1953, Scott married Josephine Clare Stanley, also an architect, and they had three children. In 2006, they moved from Sonning-on-Thames, where they had lived for 53 years, to Henley-on-Thames, where Mark Bodley Scott died. A voice recording can be heard at the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames.