Robin Smith, the former England batter, has died at the age of 62. His family announced the news, stating that Smith passed away unexpectedly on December 1 at his apartment in South Perth.
Smith played 62 Tests for England between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at 43.67 with nine centuries, and was part of the side that reached the 1992 World Cup final. Long celebrated as one of England’s finest players of fast bowling, he debuted against a West Indies attack featuring Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.
Born in Durban, Smith moved to England in 1983 to join Hampshire and went on to become one of the county’s greatest-ever players. Over 17 seasons, he amassed 18,984 first-class runs and was described by then Hampshire chair Rod Bransgrove as “the most influential player in the history of Hampshire cricket”. His bond with the county remained strong throughout his career, and his partnership with Allan Lamb – beginning with a 100-run stand on Test debut – blossomed into a lifelong friendship.
In a statement, Smith’s family said: “It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of Christopher. Robin died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday 1st December. The cause of his death is at present unknown.
“Robin, known widely as ‘The Judge’, was originally born in South Africa in 1963 to parents John and Joy and is the younger brother to Christopher (Kippy) Smith. Robin rose to fame as one of England’s most charismatic and popular players. A brave and dashing batsman, he excelled both for Hampshire and his adopted country, collecting legions of admirers and friends along the way.
“Since his retirement from the game in 2004, his battles with alcohol and mental health have been well documented, but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death which will be determined at postmortem investigation,” the statement added. “This is an immensely difficult period for us all whilst we try to come to terms with our bereavement, and we would therefore much appreciate consideration for our privacy by media and cricket followers alike.”
Just two weeks before his passing, Smith spent an afternoon with the England Lions squad during their tour match at Lilac Hill in Perth, speaking for more than an hour about transitioning to international cricket and sharing stories from his career.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson said: “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience. He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment. He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.”
“His record at Hampshire is exemplary, and he’ll be remembered rightly as a great of Hampshire CCC. We’re desperately sad to learn of his passing, and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones,” Thompson added.
