Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

20 Records fall at Oxford has never been a finer timer of the ball than Cowdrey, and he regards the hours they batted together that summer as a priceless part of his cricket education: ‘He was technically such a good player.’ When Cowdrey was out for 78, Mike was left to bat with the lower order. With almost no experience of the three-day game, he had expected a declaration around teatime. But his captain had no such thoughts. ‘Don’t chuck it away. Keep going,’ Mike was urged, and shortly before the close he reached his hundred. Oxford declared at 309 for nine, but the weather over the next two days deemed that there should be no further play. Rain also claimed the first day of the University’s next match, against Yorkshire. Then, after the county had batted, Mike again came in third wicket down, but this time with the undergraduates still looking for their first run and Fred Trueman with all three scalps to his name. Mike’s 11 before being bowled by Trueman was one of the more productive innings in a total of 58. To Mike, Trueman was ‘a magnificent bowler, the best we’ve produced. If you bowl fast and move the ball away as Fred did, you’ll get people out.’ And he was a character to whom Mike warmed: ‘He’d come up with the most vulgar things, but you had to laugh at Fred.’ With 46 in the second innings before trying to hit Illingworth out of the attack, Mike had made an impressive start to his university career. The runs would continue to flow, but with Oxford struggling to find an effective opening pair, he was asked to try his hand Early season net practice in the Oxford Parks in 1954. Left to right: Jimmy Allan, Mike, David Jowett, Colin Cowdrey (capt) and David Fasken, with the University coach O.W. ‘Lofty’ Herman.