Jimmy Sinclair

Jimmy Sinclair

Personal information
Full name	James Hugh Sinclair
Born	16 October 1876 Swellendam, Cape Province
Died	23 February 1913 (aged 36) Yeoville, Gauteng
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling style	Right-arm fast-medium
International information
National side	South African
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 25 129 Runs scored 1069 4483 Batting average 23.23 21.55 100s/50s 3/3 6/21 Top score 106 136 Balls bowled 3598 19543 Wickets 63 491 Bowling average 31.68 21.43 5 wickets in innings 1 33 10 wickets in match 0 10 Best bowling 6/26 8/32 Catches/stumpings 9/- 66/-
Source: Cricinfo

James Hugh "Jimmy" Sinclair (16 October 1876 in Swellendam, Cape Province – 23 February 1913 in Yeoville, Gauteng) was a South African cricketer who played in 25 Tests from 1896 to 1911.

He also played international rugby union and won a single international appearance in association football. This feat of having made international appearances in three distinct sports is, as far as this editor is aware, shared by only two other South Africans, one of whom was Percy Sherwell (cricket, association football and tennis).

It is on record that he hit the first test century by a South African, and several of the records which he established were only surpassed during the 1990s and later. A 2006 source shows Sinclair as still being the world's 6th quickest batsman.

There are also various stories told about Sinclair, including that relating the occasion on which a ball which he had hit for a six at the old Wanderers' Ground in Johannesburg (Central) landed on a train bound for Port Elizabeth and was only recovered at that destination. This ball was for many years on display at the Wanderers' clubhouse (both old and new grounds) until a fire in the latter part of the 20th century.