Few bowlers have ever jumped to the top of the tree more quickly than medium pace bowler JL Rankin. Rankin, who first came to prominence in 1927, joined Brigade on leaving Foyle College and in his first season in senior cricket captured 28 wickets. In 1928, his home town club, St Johnston, gained senior status and he left Brigade to join them.

At the end of the 1928 season, St Johnston, who had on many occasions throughout the season included schoolboy cricketers in their team, finished third in the North West Senior League behind the very strong Sion Mills and City of Derry clubs, thanks largely to the fine bowling achievements of Rankin, who finished the season with 100 wickets for 534 runs, to equal the record set up by RA Baird of Ardmore, who captured 100 wickets during the 1927 season. With performances of 6 wickets for nine runs v Knockdara, 7 wickets for eight runs against Waterside, 8 wickets for seven runs against Limavady and 5 wickets for six runs v Brigade, Rankin certainly established himself quickly in the local cricket scene.

In 1929 St Johnston finished third in the North West Senior League again with Rankin capturing 65 wickets for 502 runs, although there were more fixtures than usual in that season because of the record number of twelve teams competing in the League.

In 1930, Rankin moved to Strabane and in his first season with the County Tyrone club he started to show his potential with the bat, scoring his maiden century (108) in North West of Ireland cricket against Sion Mills at Sion Mills in a mid week fixture on 14 July. This century still remains the fastest ever in senior cricket, the 100 being scored in 29 minutes. A tremendous innings indeed, made up of 10 sixes, 9 fours and 4 singles. Certainly a century worth remembering.

In the next five seasons Strabane improved tremendously, winning their first League Championship since 1912 in 1931, retaining it in 1932, losing it to Sion Mills in 1933, but regaining it and retaining it in 1934 and 1935 respectively, while the North West Senior Cup was won in 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1941.

But Rankin had to wait from 1930 to 1937 to record his next century in local Senior cricket, when, in a match against the South Wales Borderers, he scored 102 not out, although it must be pointed out that he had scored 120 not out in 1932 against a Derry City team, but this was in the Nor@ern Cricket Union's Senior Cup competition.

His best season was however 1939 when, helped by his highest score of 217 against St Johnston on June 24 and a further 104 against City of Derry in the following match, he totalled 783 runs for an average of 78.30.

JL Rankin was also an outstanding Irish International badminton player over a long number of years in tandem with his achievements, in his time, on the cricket field.