John Kay (cricket journalist)

John Kay was a British journalist and cricketer who was a cricket correspondent for the Manchester Evening News from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and for the Brighton Argus. He toured Australia for the 1950-51 Ashes series for the Manchester Evening News and wrote several cricketing books, including Ashes to Hassett and Cricket in the Leagues.

Cricket career

Kay played for Middleton in the Central Lancashire League. When Basil d'Oliveira emigrated from South Africa in 1960 because Apartheid banned him from playing first-class cricket, Kay arranged for him to play for Middleton as a professional. He wrote that d'Oliveira was surprised to see white people serving him in restaurants and doing menial work. D'Oliveira later played for Worcestershire and England.