Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

136 nevertheless requisitioned for the Monday evening. Evans was away on business and Bromage was ill, so neither was present when those in attendance unanimously voted Evans out of office. As vice-chairman, Mike found himself taking over a position he had not sought. His first task was to plan for an AGM at which Evans’ motions would be tabled. Stressing that his role had been chairman of the Club, not just the Committee, Evans pressed ahead. He had wished to reduce the size of both the cricket and general committees, to restrict those serving to a total of 15 years and to limit the number of ex-employees or players. A compromise was reached on the size and composition of the Cricket Committee, but Evans’ proposal for a 15-year limit for service on committee was taken to February’s Annual General Meeting. Mike was clearly one of those at whom this restriction was aimed. He and Dennis Amiss spoke strongly for the Committee in resisting the motion, which required a two-thirds majority but ended with a vote of 867 to 632 in favour of the status quo. Having taken over the chairmanship at a time of need, Mike said: ‘I certainly don’t want to be Mr Warwickshire, but I took the chair because I could see other people wanted to go down avenues not in the club’s best interests.’ Stepping into the breach Mike may have been, but he remained chairman of Warwickshire until his impending seventieth birthday ended his eligibility in 2003. It was a role that mirrored his captaincy style. ‘His best attribute,’ says Jamie McDowall, a long-serving colleague, ‘was how well respected and liked he was. A big contrast in style to Evans. Bob wanted you to do things his way, but Mike would hear everyone’s view; but if he had a strong opinion, he was not slow to make his point – especially on cricketing matters.’ Neil Houghton, long-serving treasurer and later vice-chairman to Mike, concurs: ‘He was like a dog with a bone when he believed in something.’ Those who served with Mike while he was chairman particularly remember his tenacity when the possibility arose of sharing the Edgbaston ground with Moseley Rugby Club. Though appreciating the importance of finding other sources of income from the ground, Mike always opposed the idea. As soon as the site of the rugby pitch was paced out it was clear that it would have intruded onto the edge of the square, while other pitches would have been at risk whenever ball boys ran across them. Mike also remembers the words of groundsman Steve Rouse, also a keen rugby man: ‘You do realise our grass is unsuited to rugby.’ Triumphs and tribulations as Chairman