Micky Stewart
Encyclopedia
Michael James Stewart OBE (born 16 September 1932, Herne Hill
, England
) is an English
former cricket
er, coach and administrator. He was awarded the OBE in 1998 for services to cricket.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "a staunch patriot and the toughest of opponents, he stamped his mark on Test cricket as England's first full-time manager far more emphatically than he did as a player".
for Surrey
from 1954 to 1972, and also appeared in eight Test matches
for England
between 1962 and 1964. A right-handed opening batsman
, Stewart averaged 35.00 with the bat in Test cricket with a highest score of 87. He was an outstanding close catcher, particularly at short leg
. In 1957, he took 77 catches during the season, only one short of Walter Hammond's record. Against Northamptonshire
that year, he held seven catches in an innings. It was partly for his fielding, that he was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
in their 1958 edition.
Stewart toured India in 1963/64 as M. J. K. Smith's vice-captain, but he contracted dysentry and was forced home after playing only one innings.
From 1959 to 1966, he had a successful opening partnership for Surrey with John Edrich
, before moving down the batting order to number three. The pair also opened together for England on a couple of occasions. Stewart captained
Surrey from 1963 to 1972, winning the County Championship
in 1971. He served as cricket manager of Surrey (1979–1986) and England (1986–1992), and was director of coaching for the ECB
(1992–1997).
During a winter tour of New Zealand
by England, Stewart controversially got involved in an argument with a TV cameraman who was filming footage of an injured David Lawrence
on a stretcher; England wicketkeeper Jack Russell
also joined in the fracas.
Stewart was also a footballer, playing outside right for Charlton Athletic
, Wimbledon
and Corinthian-Casuals
.
He is the father of the former England wicket-keeper
, Alec Stewart
. At Lord's
in 1988, Stewart was able to watch his son Alec score a Test century, something that had eluded him.
Herne Hill
Herne Hill is located in the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London. There is a road of the same name which continues the A215 north of Norwood Road and was called Herne Hill Road.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, coach and administrator. He was awarded the OBE in 1998 for services to cricket.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "a staunch patriot and the toughest of opponents, he stamped his mark on Test cricket as England's first full-time manager far more emphatically than he did as a player".
Life and career
Micky Stewart played first-class cricketFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
from 1954 to 1972, and also appeared in eight Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
between 1962 and 1964. A right-handed opening batsman
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
, Stewart averaged 35.00 with the bat in Test cricket with a highest score of 87. He was an outstanding close catcher, particularly at short leg
Fielding (cricket)
Fielding in the sport of cricket is the action of fielders in collecting the ball after it is struck by the batsman, in such a way as to either limit the number of runs that the batsman scores or get the batsman out by catching the ball in flight or running the batsman out.Cricket fielding position...
. In 1957, he took 77 catches during the season, only one short of Walter Hammond's record. Against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
that year, he held seven catches in an innings. It was partly for his fielding, that he was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in their 1958 edition.
Stewart toured India in 1963/64 as M. J. K. Smith's vice-captain, but he contracted dysentry and was forced home after playing only one innings.
From 1959 to 1966, he had a successful opening partnership for Surrey with John Edrich
John Edrich
John Edrich, MBE is a former English cricketer, who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation...
, before moving down the batting order to number three. The pair also opened together for England on a couple of occasions. Stewart captained
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
Surrey from 1963 to 1972, winning the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
in 1971. He served as cricket manager of Surrey (1979–1986) and England (1986–1992), and was director of coaching for the ECB
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
(1992–1997).
During a winter tour of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by England, Stewart controversially got involved in an argument with a TV cameraman who was filming footage of an injured David Lawrence
David Lawrence (cricketer)
David Valentine Lawrence is a former English cricketer, who played in five Tests and one ODI for England from 1988 to 1992....
on a stretcher; England wicketkeeper Jack Russell
Jack Russell (cricketer and artist)
Robert Charles "Jack" Russell MBE is a retired English international cricketer, now known for his abilities as an artist, as a cricket wicketkeeping coach and football goalkeeping coach.-Biography:...
also joined in the fracas.
Stewart was also a footballer, playing outside right for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
, Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and Corinthian-Casuals
Corinthian-Casuals F.C.
Corinthian-Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Tolworth in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The club was formed in 1939 by a merger of two amateur clubs: Corinthian, who formed in 1882, and Casuals, who formed in 1878.- History :Corinthian-Casuals were formed in 1939 following the...
.
He is the father of the former England wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, Alec Stewart
Alec Stewart
Alec James Stewart OBE is a retired English cricketer, a right-handed batsman-wicketkeeper and former captain of the England cricket team...
. At Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
in 1988, Stewart was able to watch his son Alec score a Test century, something that had eluded him.