McFarlane was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm off break.
He was born at Sion Mills, United Kingdom (today Northern Ireland).
[1] Following success in club cricket, McFarlane was selected to play in Ireland's first-class match against Scotland in 1937 at Ormeau, Belfast.
[2] Batting at number six, he was dismissed for a duck by John Farquhar in the Irish first-innings.
In their second-innings he scored 21 runs before being dismissed by Sandy Paris.