Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 1, 2026

Frances Mackay

Frances Louise "Frankie" Mackay is a New Zealand cricketer and commentator who currently plays for Canterbury and New Zealand.

Last revised
Aug 1, 2026
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Frances Mackay
Personal information
Full name
Frances Louise Mackay
Born (1990-06-01) 1 June 1990
Christchurch, New Zealand
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off break
RoleAll-rounder
International information
National side
ODI debut (cap 121)14 June 2011 v Australia
Last ODI26 March 2022 v Pakistan
T20I debut (cap 35)26 June 2011 v Australia
Last T20I30 March 2021 v Australia
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2007/08–presentCanterbury
Career statistics
Competition WODI WT20I
Matches 30 30
Runs scored 313 332
Batting average 16.47 19.52
100s/50s 0/0 0/1
Top score 39* 51
Balls bowled 994 526
Wickets 26 25
Bowling average 27.69 23.04
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 4/34 3/18
Catches/stumpings 12/– 7/–
Source: Cricinfo, 27 June 2022

Frances Louise "Frankie" Mackay (born 1 June 1990) is a New Zealand cricketer and commentator who currently plays for Canterbury and New Zealand.1

In November 2024, Mackay became the leading run-scorer (male or female) in the history of domestic one-day cricket in New Zealand. She is also the leading women's wicket-taker at the same level.2

Early life

Mackay attended Burnside Primary School, where she played both cricket and rugby union.3 At Cobham Intermediate School she opened the batting with Corey Anderson.4 She joined the Lancaster Park Cricket Club in 2002 aged twelve, where she was coached by Selena Charteris.3

Playing career

Mackay debuted for Canterbury in their trophy-winning 2007–08 State League season.3 She was first selected for the national team in 2011 and played regularly at international level until 2014, when she was dropped after the 2014 Women's World Twenty20.5

In January 2019, Mackay was recalled to New Zealand's squad to play in the Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) series against India, after a gap of five years since she last played an international match.67

In March 2019, she was named as the Burger King Super Smash Women's Player of the Year at the annual New Zealand Cricket awards.8 In May 2021, Mackay was awarded with her first central contract from New Zealand Cricket ahead of the 2021–22 season.9 In February 2022, she was named in New Zealand's team for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.10

Mackay is a proponent of the controversial mode of dismissal known as a Mankad, the act of running out a non-striker who has left their ground early. In the media, Mackay has defended other bowlers after high-profile Mankad incidents, and as a player she once obtained three dismissals via Mankads in a single domestic season. She was reputedly told to use this mode of dismissal less often.11

Commentary career

Mackay is a regular commentator of men's and women's domestic and international cricket in New Zealand. She began her media career on Lesley Murdoch's Saturday radio sports show in Christchurch.12 This led to a commentary role on Radio Sport for the West Indies tour of New Zealand in March 2018.4 She began calling men's and women's matches on television during the 2018–19 Super Smash for Sky Sport.12 During Bangladesh's tour of New Zealand in January 2022, Mackay and Katey Martin became New Zealand's first all-women cricket commentary team during a men's Test match.13 This was not scheduled deliberately; as members of a larger commentary squad, Mackay and Martin happened to be rostered together and they only realised the significance afterwards.14

Mackay has also commentated the Everest Premier League in Nepal.4

Personal life

Mackay is a librarian at the Upper Riccarton branch of Christchurch City Libraries. She describes herself as a "bookworm" who aims to read 100 books per year.5

References

References

  1. "Frances Mackay". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  2. "Frankie Mackay breaks more national records". NZ Cricket. 16 November 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  3. "The Frankie Mackay story so far". Christchurch Metro Cricket. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  4. Egan, Brendon (18 January 2019). "Run-scoring machine Frankie Mackay ready for White Ferns recall". Stuff. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  5. Voerman, Andrew (5 March 2022). "How White Fern Frankie Mackay found balance as a librarian with a love of books". Stuff. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  6. "Mackay makes New Zealand comeback after five years". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  7. "Frances Mackay recalled to New Zealand T20I squad". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
  8. "Williamson named NZ Player of the Year at ANZ Awards". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  9. "Halliday, Mackay, McFadyne earn maiden NZC contracts for 2021–22 season". Women's CricZone. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  10. "Leigh Kasperek left out of New Zealand's ODI World Cup squad". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  11. Heveldt, Guy (28 September 2022). "Frankie Mackay: The self-confessed 'Mankader' on why cricket needs it". 1News. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  12. McFadden, Suzanne (17 January 2019). "Frankie the Magician pulls a new trick from her hat". Newsroom. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  13. George, Zoë (16 January 2022). "White Fern Katey Martin is throwing out the traditional cricket commentary rule book". Stuff. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  14. Henderson, Calum (9 March 2024). "How Katey Martin became the new voice of summer". The Spinoff. Retrieved 26 October 2025.

New Zealand cricket commentators