Former England skipper MJK Smith dies at 92
London, May 18
MJK Smith, the former Warwickshire and England captain, has died at the age of 92 following a long illness.
As a player, Smith scored more than 30,000 runs for the Bears and is remembered as a shot-making, positive player in the days of largely reserved championship cricket, as per the Warwickshire website.
Smith scored 39,832 runs in a 25-year career and was also capped 50 times by England, half of which came as captain between 1963 and 1966.
He hit 69 centuries (with a best of 204) and 241 fifties. He was often out when batting for the team rather than himself and generally scored runs at a good pace. He made 2,000 runs in a season six times running from 1957 to '62.
Having retired from the First Class game in 1975, he became Club Chairman between 1991 and 2003, and was an ICC match referee between 1991 and 1996. He officiated in four Tests between 1991 and 1993 and 17 ODIs between 1991 and 1996.
Tracey Orr, Chair of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said, "I was sorry to hear of the passing of MJK Smith this morning. He was not only a distinguished cricketer and respected captain for both Warwickshire and England but also a true gentleman of the game whose grace, sportsmanship, and contribution to cricket will long be remembered."
"His legacy lives on through the generations he inspired, both on and off the field. My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends, and fellow Bears who will be deeply saddened by this news."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Growing up reading about English cricket, MJK Smith's name always came up as a dependable skipper. It's sad to see these old guards leave us. But what a rich life he had—playing, captaining, chairing the club, and even being an ICC match referee! Truly a life well lived.
As someone who enjoyed county cricket in the 60s and 70s, Smith was a joy to watch. He played with flair and never selfishly—the description says he was "often out when batting for the team rather than himself." That's a rare quality in any era. Respect.
It's humbling to see that even in the "reserved championship cricket" days, players like Smith were shot-makers and positive. Modern batsmen can learn a thing or two from such old-school aggression. My condolences to the cricket fraternity. 🏏
50 caps for England, half as captain—that's a record many would envy. But I wish the article mentioned a bit more about his leadership style. Still, a remarkable career that spanned generations. RIP MJK Smith.
"True gentleman of the game" is the highest compliment any cricketer can get, and Smith seems to have earned it. From Warwickshire to England to ICC match referee, his contribution is immense. My thoughts are with his family and friends. 🇮🇳🤝
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