MJK Smith obituary

Cricketer who captained England for 25 Tests and amassed 39,832 runs across his first-class career

The cricketer MJK Smith, who has died aged 92, was a well-regarded captain of England in the mid-1960s and a remarkably consistent run-gatherer for Warwickshire. His even-tempered approach was one of the keys to his success as a skipper not just with England, whom he led between 1964 and 1966, but with his county, which he captained from 1957 to 1967. Although the product of a traditional public school and Oxbridge background, he was unusual for the time in having a classless accent, an egalitarian outlook and a relaxed attitude to convention. Rank and file players loved him for it, and would do anything to support his cause.

Bespectacled and owlish, Mike Smith’s approach on the field looked laissez-faire, almost absent-minded. But he was far more astute than appearances suggested. “Though outwardly unconventional and in manner casual to a degree, he succeeds as a captain for the conventional reasons,” said EW Swanton. “He is thoughtful for his players, unselfish, does not fuss them or panic, shows a grasp of the situation which they deem generally sensible, and not least gives an inspiring personal lead in the field.”

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