Mike’s involvement with top level cricket spans more than half a century, since his first-class county debut in 1968 to his current involvement as President of Middlesex.
He was educated at Battersea Grammar School, and the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge. His cricket career was nurtured at Surrey, with progress through the Colts and Young Amateurs, second XI and finally the first eleven. On finishing his studies however he moved across the river to the county of his birth, for whom he played with some success from 1972 to 1982. In 1976, he played two Test matches against West Indies, and toured India, Sri Lanka and Australia the following winter, playing his third and final Test in Mumbai. His playing career ended with two summers as captain of Glamorgan, and more than 1100 wickets.
Since finishing as a player, he drifted into a journalistic career that led to him hold the position of chief cricket correspondent of The Guardian for three decades until he left the organisation in autumn 2016. No-one performed that role for longer. He was also a summariser on Test Match Special for twenty five years.
He has been married to Sarah for 27 years, with whom he has the triplets Josh, Adam and Hannah, now 22, and he also has a daughter Nichola from a previous marriage, together with two grandchildren, Mollie and Alfie. Away from cricket he plays golf to a single figure handicap, reads crime novels, does the Times crossword, enjoys good real ale, and plays his collection of guitars moderately well.
“ It is a tremendous honour to be President of this most prestigious cricket club,” he says.” My intention is to use my experience as player and journalist to contribute to the success of the club as much as I am allowed. I see my role not just as ambassadorial, but as a conduit between the Board and members; the Board and players; and members and players.”
