Donald Alexander Noel McRae (25 December 1914 – 10 August 1986) was a double international sportsman, representing New Zealand in cricket and in soccer. His last first-class cricket match was in New Zealand's first Test match against Australia in 1946.
Cricket career
McRae played first-class cricket for Canterbury from 1937–38 to 1945–46 as a tall, economical left-arm medium-pace bowler and useful lower-order batsman. In his first match, against Otago, he top-scored in the second innings with 43, which remained his highest first-class score. In 1943–44, playing for a New Zealand XI against a New Zealand Services XI, he opened the bowling and took 5 for 20 off 17 overs in the first innings. In his four inter-provincial matches in 1944-45 he took 17 wickets at 13.29, and was considered one of the best bowlers in New Zealand.[1]
When the Plunket Shield resumed in 1945–46, McRae took 13 wickets in the three matches at 23.69. He took only one wicket when the Australians defeated Canterbury by an innings,[2] but still made the Test side three weeks later. He opened the bowling and took 0 for 44 and made 0 and 8 in another innings defeat,[3] and never played first-class cricket again.
McRae served with the New Zealand Army in World War II as a lance-corporal.[5] He and his wife Dorothy, who died in 1974, had one daughter.[6] He died at his home in Christchurch in August 1986.[7]
