James Mackay (cricketer)
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James Rainey Munroe Mackay, better known as 'Sunny Jim' Mackay, was a brilliant right handed Australian opening batsman who was likened in his youth to Victor Trumper and was considered unlukcy to miss the 1905 Australian tour to England.
He reeled off scores of 203, 90, 194, 105, 102* and 136 for New South Wales in the 1905/06 season. He also scored 6 other centuries for his club side. A country boy, he inadvisedly signed a disapproved contract with Melbourne C.C. in company with others and was suspended. He moved to South Africa where he dominated again for Transvaal but his eyesight was damaged when a motorbike knocked him down and his brief, but dazzling career, was cut short.
He 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. In just 20 first class matches from 1902/03 - 1906/07, he had scored 1556 runs at 50.19 with six hundreds and 7 fifties.
He was born on September 9, 1880 in Armidale, New South Wales and died on June 13, 1953 in Walcha, New South Wales.
