Robin Smith, ex-England cricketer, dies aged 62

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The South African-born English cricketer, who played from the late-1980s, scored much than 4000 trial lucifer runs.

Published On 2 Dec 2025

Former batter Robin Smith, a World Cup finalist with England successful 1992, has died astatine the property of 62, his erstwhile nine Hampshire said connected Tuesday.

Smith, calved successful South Africa to British parents, played 62 tests and 71 one-day internationals (ODIs) for England, scoring 13 centuries.

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He suffered from slump and alcoholism pursuing his retirement, telling British newspapers lone past week astir his idiosyncratic struggles.

“It is with large sadness that we denote the passing of legendary batter Robin Smith,” Hampshire posted connected the societal media level X.

Robin Smith established himself arsenic a belligerent middle-order batter known for his striking quality against accelerated bowlers. He averaged 43.67 successful tests, the highest among each modern England players erstwhile helium was dropped aft a bid successful South Africa successful 1995-96.

“It’s a bittersweet time … At the time, successful the 80s and 90s, helium was England’s champion batter,” a tearful Kevan James, Smith’s erstwhile Hampshire teammate, told BBC Radio Solent.

“He was a ace player, peculiarly of accelerated bowling successful an epoch wherever the West Indies had each these accelerated bowlers. He was 1 of the fewer England batters who stood up to them and fundamentally gave arsenic bully arsenic helium got.”

Smith was the member of chap England planetary Chris Smith, who played his past trial astatine Leeds 2 years earlier Robin’s England debut astatine the aforesaid crushed successful 1988.

Nicknamed “The Judge” for having curly hairsbreadth similar a judge’s wig, Robin Smith scored 175 against West Indies successful Antigua successful 1994, the aforesaid trial successful which Brian Lara made a record-breaking 375 runs.

Smith besides deed an unbeaten 167 against Australia successful 1993, which remained the highest innings by an England subordinate successful an ODI until 2016, erstwhile Alex Hales made 171 against Pakistan.

“Robin Smith was a subordinate who stood toed to toed with immoderate of the quickest bowlers successful the world, gathering spells of hostile accelerated bowling with a defiant grin and an unthinkable resilience,” said England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) seat Richard Thompson.

“He did truthful successful a mode that gave England fans tremendous pride, and nary shortage of entertainment.”