McCool was the son of the AustralianTest all-rounder Colin McCool and his wife Dorothy. He was born while his father was engaged as a professional cricketer for Somerset, but brought up in Australia where he attended schools in Woy Woy, New South Wales.[2]
A leg-spin bowler and a right-handed lower order batsman, Russel McCool played for New South Wales Colts from the 1980-81 season. But his only first-class experience came in a single season, 1982, that he spent with Somerset, qualifying by birth. In his single match for the first team against Derbyshire at Derby, he made 7 and 12 batting at No 10, took one catch, but failed to take a wicket with his bowling.[3] He played fairly regularly for Somerset's Second Eleven in the Second Eleven Championship and the Minor Counties, taking 30 wickets in the season.[4] He suffered an injury at the end of the season and had to stop playing and return to Australia.