Scott was born in Toorak, Victoria, and soon moved to Melbourne, where he began to play cricket at a high level.

Scott began as a right arm fast-medium bowler and achieved his best analysis of six wickets for 33 runs on his first-class debut.

He retired from cricket and set up a practice in the rural New South Wales town of Scone, where he later served as mayor and chief magistrate.

[2] Scott made his first-class debut at the age of nineteen in February 1878 when he played for Victoria against New South Wales at the Association Ground[A] in Sydney.

[2] In the opening match of the 1883–84 season, Scott scored 114 not out against New South Wales at the Melbourne Cricket Ground[6] and Wisden said this innings "was the main cause of his being given a place in the Australian team that came to England in 1884".

[15] During the tour, Scott acquired his nickname "Tup" through his love of London open-topped bus rides, each of which cost two pence, or "tuppence".

It was not until 27 December that details of the dispute became generally known when The Age published correspondence between Lillywhite and the Australians' manager George Alexander which revealed a disagreement about the share of the gate money from the first two Tests to be played in January and February.

On 17 January 1885, The Australasian published an account written by Scott, Joey Palmer, Harry Boyle and Jack Blackham of alleged "underhand dealings" by John Conway who was representing the English team's interests.

[21] At a meeting of the Melbourne Cricket Club on 12 December 1885, it was announced that thirteen players including Tup Scott had agreed to form "the strongest all-round team available in the colonies".

[20] He began with 111 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for Victoria against New South Wales, which helped his team win by an innings and 69 runs.

[24] But in the final match, playing for Victoria against New South Wales at the Association Ground, he was dismissed for 16 and 0 as his team lost by 150 runs.

This move caused widespread criticism, especially as Boyle, Tom Horan and Hugh Massie had already declared themselves unavailable.

[2] Harte comments that it was Scott's "misfortune in a way to be following the blazing success of Murdoch's captaincy with a team that looked good on paper but was, in fact, growing jaded".

[27] According to Wisden, quarrels began among the players during the opening match at Sheffield Park, Uckfield and Scott had "neither the strength of character nor the experience as a leader that the difficulties of his position demanded".

[29] In the Second Test at Lord's, Australia had two low totals and were well beaten, Wisden remarking that "the Australians thus suffered a most crushing and decisive defeat by an innings and 106 runs".

[30] Wisden commented on the poor form of the Australians in the third Test which meant "England was left with another decisive victory, by an innings and 217 runs".

[35] Years later, Scott was asked if he would have liked to continue playing and he replied: "I have captained Australia and hit a Test century.

[33] The cricket writer Ray Robinson suggests that Scott's batting "was noted for grit rather than gaiety" but he did sometimes reveal an adventurous streak as shown when he landed a ball from A. G. Steel onto the pavilion roof at The Oval and by his assault on Saul Wade's bowling at Bramall Lane.

In July, he married Mary Minnie Mickle at St Kilda, Victoria and they eventually settled at Scone, New South Wales; Robinson wrote that Scott "undertook the life of a pioneer country doctor with a spirit service that won him even greater esteem than (his) Test deeds".