Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

14 Next year, when the two schools met at Oakham, Mike’s 50 was the only score of consequence in a Stamford total of 106 for eight. Of a season in which his best score was 68 against the Old Boys, The Stamfordian’s pen picture of MJK read: ‘chief run scorer, with excellent concentrated control for an under-fourteener; watches the ball all the way; improved backlift will develop more power in front of the wicket.’ In 1948 there were 310 runs at 20.66, taking Mike to the top of the school averages. The next year, the average had risen to 54, with 94 against the Lincolnshire Gentlemen as the highest of six half-centuries. Just past his sixteenth birthday, Mike was first invited to play for Leicestershire Second Eleven in the summer holidays. As the county did not compete in the Minor Counties Championship, the match, away to Lincolnshire, was a friendly. There was a first-innings duck, but Mike saved Leicestershire’s blushes when he batted a second time, occupying the crease for three hours for an undefeated 45 to secure a draw with the last pair at the wicket. ‘The Stamford schoolboy showed the right temperament,’ reported the local paper. 1950 saw Mike’s first century for Stamford, against Oakham, and his performances over the summer brought a trip to Lord’s and a place in the Rest Eleven against the Southern Schools, but with scores of 3 and 15 not out he was not picked for the side to play the Combined Services. That distinction was to come in his final year at school, when his average for Stamford rose to 65.40. Now opening the innings, he hit two centuries. There was 101 not out in the defeat of Uppingham ‘A’ and he signed off with 116 against the Old Stamfordians. The Stamfordian delighted in a season that had seen only two defeats against ten victories. On top of his batting Mike had brought ‘outstanding ability as a captain’. Moreover, ‘some astonishing catches were among his excellent fielding performances.’ He had also been a stand-breaker, taking 15 wickets with his spin bowling. He had led a strong team in which one other member was destined to play regular county cricket, Ray Smith going on to make 104 appearances as a left- arm spinner for Leicestershire. At Lord’s a score of 88 for the Rest against Southern Schools won Mike a place at number three in the team for the match against the Combined Services, where he had the misfortune to be run out in both his innings, the second dismissal coming when he had made 21 in a run-chase that saw the schoolboys victorious by three wickets with eight minutes to spare after being set a target Finding a small enough bat