Lives in Cricket No 30 - MJK Smith

43 tourists. Still uncertain who was their most likely opener for the Tests, the selectors gave another chance to Milton and brought in Micky Stewart to partner him, with Mike now at three. A fine 70 in a second-innings run-chase that ended in a 13-run loss in the final over meant that Mike came away with his reputation enhanced, his nose just ahead of Stewart, whose brisk 46 in an opening stand of 72 had set the tone for the chase. As the First Test approached, Mike continued to score consistently. Half-centuries against Gloucestershire and Derbyshire were followed by a testing examination at the hands of Frank Tyson at Peterborough. ‘He is said not to “see” the quick bowling as an opener,’ wrote Alex Bannister in the Daily Mail. But he dismissed this contention: ‘Yet he has a splendid record against fast bowling. He recently scored 76 against Northamptonshire when Tyson gave his best performance of the season.’ Bannister had earlier commended Mike for the tour to South Africa in 1956/57. In now pressing his claims as opener, he did not remind his readers that Mike had made his runs when batting at number four. To the delight of Bannister and several other pundits, when the England team was announced its youngest member was M.J.K. Smith, aged 24. For Mike it was a bonus that he would make his debut at Edgbaston. A green pitch and heavy atmosphere greeted the captains at the toss; but inserting the opposition was seldom a considered option in those days, and Peter May elected to bat. Mike saw Richardson play through a maiden from Johnny Hayes. He then watched his first ball from Tony MacGibbon fly as a wide to the leg-side boundary. Four balls later MacGibbon had found his range. He nipped one back and Mike was lbw. It was a disheartening start to his international career, and for England alarm signals were soon flashing. At 29 for three Richardson and Graveney were also out. A stand of 121 by May and Cowdrey brought some stability and a final score of 221 was soon shown to be too much for a New Zealand side whose batsmen would struggle all summer. With Trueman taking five for 31, the visitors were dismissed for 94. After lunch on the second day Mike began his second innings. This time he lasted nearly an hour, but scoring was never easy and he had made only seven when MacGibbon induced a snick to the wicketkeeper. Overnight rain made batting difficult on the third day. So, when Richardson had completed a dogged hundred and Cowdrey had also been dismissed, May declared to allow his bowlers free use of the conditions. There was a little more Capped as an opener