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Mike Smith, the bespectacled middle-order batsman who also played rugby
union for England at fly-half, was out in the 90s more often than any of
his contemporary Test colleagues. He was unlucky to lose his place
against the 1961 Australians when he was at the peak of his form.
'M.J.K.' also missed a 1958-59 Ashes tour after an unimpressive debut as
an opener against the 1958 New Zealand side, widely regarded as the
worst international bowling attack ever to visit the U.K. He made 47 at
Lord's but was dismissed for single figures on three other occasions.
When the Gloucestershire postman Arthur Milton came in and scored a
century he snatched the berth the selectors had originally earmarked for
Smith. No doubt he was fortunate to miss the disasters of that tour,
and he returned against India in the middle order, scoring 100 at Old
Trafford and 98 at the Oval. That got him a place on the 1960 trip to
West Indies, where he scored 108 in Trinidad when England won by 256
runs, and 96 when they returned to the same ground for the 5th Test.
Against South Africa in 1960 Mike scored 99 at Lord's, but after 0 and 1
not out in the first Ashes Test of 1961 he was dropped to make way for
the return of Peter May. Smith went to India and Pakistan under Ted
Dexter, scoring 99 in Lahore but struggling in India. In 1962 he lost
his place to Peter Parfitt. Smith ended up with the England captaincy
almost by default, but proved such a success that he held on to it
despite a shortage of runs in the biggest matches. In the end England's
need to strengthen the batting against Gary Sobers' 'King Cricket' team
of 1966 proved his downfall. The hastily arranged tour of India in 1964
saw many of England's stars missing, and Smith got the captaincy.
Unfortunately he also got an epidemic amongst his team, and at one time
commentator Henry Blofeld was due to play in the first Test. In the end
Micky Stewart returned from his sick bed for half an hour, then went
straight back, leaving Smith to open again. He scored 57 in the second
innings of that Madras Test and 75 not out at Calcutta.
Ted Dexter
reclaimed the captaincy for the 1964 Ashes series, but when he tried to
become an M.P. in that autumn's British election Smith was recalled to
take the team to South Africa. He scored 121 in the third Test in Cape
Town and was particularly popular for the support he gave to his
bowlers' long-term strategies. He was captain against New Zealand and
South Africa in 1965 and lead a 1965-66 Ashes quest, drawing the series
1-1 but failing to win the famous urn. Mike scored 54 and 87 in
Christchurch on the New Zealand leg of the tour. He got just 5 and 6
against West Indies at Old Trafford in 1966 and was replaced as captain
by Colin Cowdrey. His Test career seemed over, and he even gave up
county cricket for a while, but in 1972 was recalled to serve under Ray
Illingworth, scoring 34 and 30 at Lord's against an upcoming Dennis
Lillee. After three Tests he was dropped, partly because of the
embarrasment of the veteran team being dubbed 'Dad's Army'. (Bob Harragan)
Years Team
1951–1955 Leicestershire
1956–1975 Warwickshire
1954–1956 Oxford University
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