He was also a good cricketer, representing South Australia in the Sheffield Shield and topped the Australian bowling and batting averages in 1947.

The first was an innings of 213 which he made opening the batting against Queensland at the Adelaide Oval, dwarfing his team's next-highest score of 45.

[2] Just two days after that match ended, South Australia met Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground—and McLean, opening the batting once more, scored 135 and again outshone his teammates with the next-best effort being 31.

Bob McLean said that this was fair game but that he would "get the next flight to Melbourne and speak to Carl Ditterich (St Kilda's then captain)" if it were to happen.

The A. R. McLean Medal is awarded to the best-and-fairest winner for the Port Adelaide Football Club side in the SANFL each year.