Conor McKerr was born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, on 19 January 1998. He was a member of the South Africa under-19 squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh.[3] He left South Africa to sign for Surrey in March 2016, with the intention of qualifying to play for England.[4] On 31 May 2017, he joined Derbyshire on a one-month loan from Surrey.[5] He made his first-class debut for Derbyshire in the 2017 County Championship on 2 June 2017, taking four wickets in the match against Nottinghamshire.[6] On his second Championship appearance for Derbyshire, against Northamptonshire, McKerr finished with bowling figures of 5/87 and 5/54, becoming the youngest bowler to take ten wickets in a match for the county.[7] This proved to be his final appearance for Derbyshire, as he was recalled by Surrey on 12 June.[8]
He made his List A debut on 23 April 2019, for Surrey in the 2019 Royal London One-Day Cup.[9] He made his Twenty20 debut on 15 June 2021, for Derbyshire in the 2021 T20 Blast.[10] In 2022 he played two matches on loan at Kent at the end of the season.[11] The following season McKerr rejoined Kent on loan for two matches in April.[12]
On 3 October 2024 it was announced McKerr had left Surrey.[13] The following day he signed a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire.[14][15]
