49 Facts About Mandy Mitchell-Innes

Norman Stewart "Mandy" Mitchell-Innes was an amateur cricketer for Somerset, who played in one Test match for England in 1935.

Between 1931 and 1949 Mitchell-Innes played 132 first-class matches, appearing 69 times for Somerset, and 43 times for Oxford University.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was well-regarded for the grace of his batting, but his cricket career was limited by both hay fever and his overseas work commitments.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes made his debut for Somerset while he was still a schoolboy at Sedbergh School in 1931.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes subsequently went to Oxford University and appeared in the annual match against Cambridge in each of his four years.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes's total of 3,319 first-class runs is a record for the Oxford University team, and he is regarded as one of the best university cricketers ever.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes played his best years of cricket while at university, passing 1,000 runs in the season during three of his four years there.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was only available for Somerset during periods of leave thereafter, often playing for around four to six weeks.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes left the Sudan Political Service in 1954, and became the company secretary at Vaux Breweries.

Norman Stewart Mandy Mitchell-Innes was born in Calcutta on 7 September 1914, where his father was a businessman of Scottish descent.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes moved to England with his family at the age of five to live in Minehead, Somerset, and gained a scholarship to Sedbergh School based in Cumbria.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes had to travel down from Scotland by overnight train for the fixture at the County Ground, Taunton.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes took two wickets, and scored 23 runs in the match, which was drawn.

In both 1932 and 1933, Mandy Mitchell-Innes captained the Sedbergh School cricket team, and was invited to play at Lord's Cricket Ground for representative school sides, and he made eight further County Championship appearances for Somerset.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes failed to make a mark for the county in 1932, recording a batting average of 6.50, but in 1933 he achieved his first half-century in first-class cricket, scoring 57 against Warwickshire, before hitting his own wicket.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes played fives and rugby for the school, and was president of the debating society.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was selected for the university cricket team during his first year at Oxford and made his debut against Gloucestershire.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes scored his maiden first-class century in the first innings of the match which Oxford nearly won.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes achieved two further centuries for Oxford that year, hitting 140 runs against the Minor Counties in a high-scoring draw, and then 171 against Surrey at The Oval.

Partially indicative of this, Mandy Mitchell-Innes topped the batting averages, and led all Oxford batsmen in terms of runs scored, but his figures were in stark contrast to the previous year: he averaged 38.70 for his 774 runs.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes hit centuries against Lancashire and Surrey, and against the touring South Africans.

Shortly after the university match, Mandy Mitchell-Innes was invited to play for the Gentlemen against the Players, on this occasion in the more prestigious Lord's fixture.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes appeared in seven of Somerset's twenty-six fixtures, and although he was well short of his teammates' total runs for the season, he led Somerset's batting averages in 1935, accruing his 420 runs at an average of 38.18.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was included in the touring party, and played in ten first-class matches, including two of the four contests against the New Zealand national cricket team.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes scored four first-class half-centuries, achieving his highest score of the tour against Otago, when he contributed 87 runs to the MCC's total of 550.

In 1936 Mandy Mitchell-Innes was elected captain of the Oxford team.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes scored 182, his best score for Somerset, in a County Championship match against Worcestershire, and followed it up with another century in the next match, against Lancashire.

In 1937, Mandy Mitchell-Innes was replaced as captain of Oxford by Sandy Singleton, and missed the start of the cricket season as he was busy studying.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes topped the batting averages for Oxford , scoring his 630 runs at an average of 57.27.

Shortly after the university match, Mandy Mitchell-Innes made his fourth appearance in as many years for the Gentlemen against the Players, but after being asked to the open the innings was out for just four runs in the first innings.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes improved in the second innings, scoring fifty runs after an indifferent start, but was unable to prevent his side losing by eight wickets.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes subsequently top-scored for Scotland in a first-class match against the touring New Zealanders.

In seven appearances for Somerset during the seasons, Mandy Mitchell-Innes was unable to replicate the form he had shown with Oxford, and only passed fifty run in an innings once, scoring 135 runs at an average of under ten.

Seamer had joined the Sudan Political Service on his graduation in 1936, and while at Oxford, Mandy Mitchell-Innes secured a role with the organisation that he would take up after his graduation.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes opened the innings, and after the lunch interval on the final day he played attacking cricket, bringing up his century in 95 minutes.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was eventually dismissed for 143 runs, bowled as he tried to heave an on drive.

In 1946, Mandy Mitchell-Innes was only able to play for the first month of the season, appearing in six first-class matches.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes only passed fifty once in those matches, when he scored 55 runs against Middlesex.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes averaged 37, his highest total after leaving university, and scored four half-centuries.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was named as one of three captains of Somerset in 1948.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes appeared in Somerset's opening five fixtures; including a pre-season friendly match against Glamorgan.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes scored 222 runs, including a solitary half-century, during a 10-wicket loss to Middlesex.

When Mandy Mitchell-Innes left the team for the Sudan, they were bottom of the County Championship with no points; they finished the season 12th of 17 after collecting 92 points, including five wins.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes was available for the first few weeks of the season, playing seven matches.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes finished near the bottom of Somerset's batting averages, having scored 157 runs at 11.21; the second-lowest average of his career.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes left the Sudan Political Service in 1954, and was company secretary of Vaux Breweries in Sunderland for 25 years.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes married Patricia Rossiter in 1944, and they had a son and daughter together.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes retired to Herefordshire in 1980, and lived with his daughter in Monmouthshire after his wife died in 1989.

Mandy Mitchell-Innes died on 28 December 2006, and was survived by a son and daughter.