Francis MacKinnon

Francis Alexander MacKinnon, The 35th MacKinnon of MacKinnon DL (9 April 1848 – 27 February 1947) was the longest-lived Test cricketer until being surpassed by Eric Tindill of New Zealand on 8 November 2009. MacKinnon, who was 98 years, 324 days old when he died, was the oldest-ever first-class cricketer at that time.

Francis MacKinnon

Personal information
Full name	Francis Alexander MacKinnon
Born	9 April 1848 Paddington, London
Died	27 February 1947 (aged 98) Forres, Scotland
Batting	Right-handed
International information
National side	England
Only Test (cap 17)	2 January 1879 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1870	Cambridge University
1875–1885	Kent
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 1 88 Runs scored 5 2,310 Batting average 2.50 15.71 100s/50s 0/0 2/7 Top score 5 115 Catches/stumpings 0/– 38/–
Source: Cricinfo, 3 October 2009

MacKinnon was born at Acryse Park, near Folkestone in Kent, and was educated at Harrow School. An amateur cricketer, he joined the MCC in 1870, and played first-class cricket from 1870 to 1885.

He attended St John's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1871.[1] He played cricket for Cambridge University, winning his blue in 1870. He played in the famous University match in 1870, known as Cobden's Match, in which Cambridge's Frank Cobden conceded only one run and took three wickets in the last four-ball over to win the match by two runs.

MacKinnon played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1875. He toured Australia with Lord Harris in 1878–79, and played his only Test on this tour, making 0 and 5 in his two innings, bowled by Fred Spofforth twice. His first dismissal was the second in the first Test hat-trick.[2] He was President of Kent in 1889.

In 1888, MacKinnon married the Hon. Emily Hood. They had one son and one daughter. His wife died in 1934.

He was a captain in the Royal East Kent Yeomanry from 1871 to 1893, promoted to honorary major in 1886 and resigned, but was re-appointed captain on 14 March 1900.[3] He was a justice of the peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Kent from 1900 to 1902. On the death of his father in 1903, he became The MacKinnon of Mackinnon, the 35th Chief of the Mackinnon Clan.

He died at his home, Drumduan, in Forres in Morayshire, Scotland.

References

1. "MacKinnon, Francis (MKNN865FA)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
2. "The Demon strikes three times". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
3. "No. 27173". The London Gazette. 13 March 1900. p. 1717.

External links

• Francis MacKinnon at ESPNcricinfo