MJK Smith, the former England cricketer and long-serving Warwickshire captain, has died at the age of 88. Smith, whose full name was Michael John Knight Smith, was a key figure in English cricket during the 1950s and 1960s.
Cricketing Career
Smith played 50 Test matches for England between 1958 and 1972, scoring 2,278 runs at an average of 31.60. He was known for his solid technique and calm demeanor at the crease. As a right-handed batsman, he notched up six Test centuries, with a highest score of 168 against New Zealand in 1963.
At the county level, Smith was a stalwart for Warwickshire, captaining the side from 1957 to 1967. Under his leadership, Warwickshire won the County Championship in 1951 and 1954. He later served as the club's secretary and manager.
Legacy
Smith was also a respected administrator, serving as a Test selector and later as the president of Warwickshire. His contributions to the game were recognized with an OBE in 1965.
Tributes have poured in from the cricketing world, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) describing him as 'a true gentleman of the game.' Warwickshire CCC called him 'one of the club's greatest sons.'
Smith is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
