James Mackay

Who was James Mackay?

James Rainey Munro Mackay, better known as "Sunny Jim" Mackay, was an Australian cricketer. He was a right-handed opening batsman who was likened in his youth to Victor Trumper, and was considered unlucky to miss the 1905 Australian tour to England.

Mackay was born in Armidale, New South Wales. He scored 203, 90, 194, 105, 102* and 136 for New South Wales in the 1905/06 season, as well as six centuries for his club side, Burwood. Along with several other players he signed a contract with Melbourne Cricket Club to bring an English side to Australia and was suspended.

He moved to South Africa where, while working at a diamond mine, he scored 247 runs at 35.28 for Transvaal in 1906-07 and was only left out of the South African team to tour England in 1907 because it was felt that he had not spent long enough in the country. His eyesight was damaged when a motorbike knocked him down and his brief but dazzling career was cut short.

Mackay moved back to Sydney and tried to regain his place in the New South Wales side but his injury was too debilitating and he was forced to retire.