George McConnell's family moved from Australia to New Zealand when he was a boy, and he attended Hutt Valley High School.
[1] A tall off-spin bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman, McConnell had his best first-class season in 1961–62, when he took 20 wickets at an average of 13.30.
[2] In Wellington's first match that season he took 3 for 13 and 6 for 41 (his best bowling figures) and made 38 (his highest score) in an innings victory over Otago.
[3] McConnell also played Hawke Cup cricket for Hutt Valley from 1960 to 1975.
In 1967–68 he played a leading part in Hutt Valley's title-winning victory over Nelson, when he took 6 for 21 and 6 for 57 and, batting at number eight, made 60, the only fifty on either side in the match.