{"id":244028,"date":"2026-05-18T12:24:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/18\/mjk-smith-obituary\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T12:24:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:24:24","slug":"mjk-smith-obituary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/18\/mjk-smith-obituary\/","title":{"rendered":"MJK Smith obituary"},"content":{"rendered":"

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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<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n

Bespectacled and owlish, Mike Smith\u2019s approach on the field looked laissez-faire, almost absent-minded. But he was far more astute than appearances suggested. \u201cThough outwardly unconventional and in manner casual to a degree, he succeeds as a captain for the conventional reasons,\u201d said EW\u00a0Swanton<\/a>. \u201cHe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith was as much a stubborn individualist in his batting style as he was in life, and upset the purists by scoring overwhelmingly on the on-side, often fetching balls to midwicket from well outside the off-stump. His attitude was that if the method got him runs then he would stick with it, and indeed it was highly effective at county level, where he was one of the top batsmen in England for two decades.<\/p>\n

In Test cricket, however, it was a more dangerous ploy, and throughout his time with England the press and public fretted about his fitness to bat at the highest level, especially against bowling of high pace. Their worries were hardly eased by Smith\u2019s trademark nervousness in the early part of his innings, during which he would scratch about for several overs until he got the feel of things.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span> Photograph: PA Images\/Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He played in 50 Tests and led England in 25 of them, of which he won five, lost three and drew 17; the last figure an indication of a tendency to over-cautiousness. But he won two and lost only one of his six full Test series in charge, and never conceded a series abroad. When the selectors relieved him of the captaincy, it was for failings with the bat rather than deficiencies in leadership.<\/p>\n

Born in Leicester, to Maurice Smith, who ran a hosiery manufacturing business, and his wife, Muriel (nee Bird), Smith was brought up in the nearby village of Broughton Astley. He was a boarder at Stamford school in Lincolnshire and made his first-class debut for Leicestershire as an 18-year-old in 1951. After two years of national service he studied geography at Oxford and played with success for the university cricket team. Also a talented rugby union fly-half, in 1956 he appeared for England against Wales in the five nations championship, making him the last man to have played both rugby and cricket for England.<\/p>\n

For the first two summers at Oxford, Smith continued to play for Leicestershire in the holidays. But in his third year, by which time he was the university captain, he took up an offer to play for Warwickshire, who threw in a job as their assistant secretary so that he could maintain his amateur status.<\/p>\n

In those days it was expected that an amateur should lead a county side, and so Smith became captain in his first full season in 1957. Fortunately he showed an aptitude for the job, and his inclusive style \u2013 in contrast to the autocratic ways of some other amateur skippers \u2013 helped to create a fine team spirit. He also headed his side\u2019s batting averages that year with more than 2,000 runs in the No 4 slot, and took many catches at short leg, where he was both brave and superb throughout his career.<\/p>\n

Although he was happiest in the middle order, within a year Smith had received a call-up as an opening bat for England. In his first Test, in 1958 against New Zealand at Edgbaston, he managed only 0 and 7, and while he made 47 in the second Test at Lord\u2019s, failure in the third took him out of contention for the rest of the series.<\/p>\n

In 1959 he had a sensational time, scoring 3,245 first-class runs in the season \u2013 one of the highest tallies ever. His hot form earned him an England cap for the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, where he posted exactly 100 in the first innings, and then for the final Test at the Oval, where he had 98 \u2013 both at No 4. For his efforts Wisden made him one of its cricketers of the year.<\/p>\n

After decent performances on tour to the West Indies in 1959-60 and at home to South Africa in 1960, Smith was appointed England vice-captain to Ted Dexter for the 1961-62 trip to India and Pakistan. Wearing a pair of tinted specs to cope with the light, he nonetheless struggled with the bat and subsequently missed out on four Test series across 1962 and 1963. He was a professional by the time of his next recall, for the 1964 tour to India as captain in the absence of Dexter, who had made himself unavailable.<\/p>\n

That long trip was bedevilled by injuries and illness, so a drawn series was a triumph for Smith, who averaged 51 in the Tests and presided over a happy ship. There were calls for him to be made permanent captain even after Dexter\u2019s return, but in the event he was not even in the squad for the next home series against Australia.<\/p>\n

A further opening presented itself when Dexter was unavailable for the 1964-65 England tour to South Africa. Smith was brought back as captain and it was another successful tour, with England winning 1-0 and the skipper producing his highest Test innings of 121 at Cape Town.<\/p>\n

Later in 1965 Dexter was forced to retire from frontline cricket after a car accident, allowing Smith to retain the captaincy. In the summer of 1965 England beat New Zealand 3-0, but then he experienced his first defeat in 15 matches as skipper, against South Africa in the second Test at Trent Bridge, a victory that helped the visitors to a 1-0 series win. Perhaps as a consequence, on the 1965-66 tour of Australia Smith\u2019s captaincy took on a more positive hue and although he was unable to win back the Ashes, the series was drawn 1-1.<\/p>\n

<\/svg><\/span>Smith led Warwickshire to their first trophy under his leadership \u2013 the 1966 Gillette Cup. <\/span> Photograph: PA Images\/Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He had his likeness unveiled in Madame Tussauds that winter and it looked as if he might be captain for some time to come. But in June 1966 England lost the first home Test against West Indies heavily, and having already experienced a bad trot of scores in Australia, Smith failed to make double figures in either innings. With concerns about batting at the top of their minds, the selectors dropped him and handed the captaincy to Colin Cowdrey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Two years later, having guided Warwickshire to their first trophy under his leadership \u2013 the 1966 Gillette Cup \u2013 Smith decided to call a halt to his playing career. He worked as a representative for a company that made squash courts, then bought Wootton Court, a 35-room house in Leek Wootton, Warwickshire, which he converted into a hotel and country club. With his wife, Diana (nee Leach), whom he had married in 1960, he began to make a success of the venture. But by 1970 he was hankering after cricket again, and at 37 made a comeback with Warwickshire as vice-captain.<\/p>\n

He justified that decision by topping the county\u2019s batting averages in his first season back, and in 1972 was recalled by England, who were struggling against Australia. He played three Tests that summer but had a highest score of only 34 and at the end of the 1975 season retired from all forms of cricket, having scored 39,832 runs across his first-class career \u2013 a total exceeded by only 17 others. His average in Tests was a modest 31.63 but his value to the England side extended far beyond that, and in 637 first-class matches he averaged 41.84, with 69 centuries. In 1976 he was made OBE.<\/p>\n

Smith returned to Wootton Court and in 1986 sold the business. In 1990, having been on the Warwickshire committee for a number of years, he was elected to the club\u2019s chairmanship and presided over an era of unparalleled success for the county. In 1991 he had become cricket\u2019s first international match referee and he officiated in 21 games over the next five years. He also managed England on tours to the West Indies in 1994 and to Australia in 1995.<\/p>\n

Smith stepped down as Warwickshire chairman in 2003 and thereafter kept a low profile, living quietly in the same village where he had been brought up. In 2019 Warwickshire unveiled the MJK Gates in his honour at Edgbaston during the first Test against Australia.<\/p>\n

Diana predeceased him. He is survived by their children, Neil, Carole and Barbara.<\/p>\n