Former England cricketer Robin Smith passes away at 62
The news of his death was shared by former Hampshire teammate Kevan James on Solent News this morning (2 December).
Former England batter Robin Smith, widely regarded as one of the finest players of fast bowling of his era, has passed away at the age of 62.
The news of his death was shared by former Hampshire teammate Kevan James on Solent News this morning (2 December).
James said, "It's a sad day. During the 80s and 90s, he was England's best batter. He was a superb player, especially against fast bowling, at a time when the West Indies dominated with their pace attack. He was one of the few who stood up to them and gave as good as he got."
Nicknamed "Judge", Smith represented England in 62 Tests and 71 ODIs between 1988 and 1996. He scored 4,236 Test runs at an impressive average of 43.67, including nine centuries, and averaged 39.01 in one-day internationals, reports The Guardian and BBC.
Born in Durban, South Africa, Smith built a celebrated domestic career with Hampshire, where he played throughout his county tenure and eventually captained the side from 1998 to 2002. Over his 22-year first-class career, he amassed 26,155 runs at an average of 41.51.
Smith's highest Test score -- 175 -- came against the fearsome West Indies pace attack in Antigua in 1994, a performance that cemented his reputation as one of England's toughest batters against fast bowling.
In recent interviews, Smith had spoken openly about his long battle with depression and alcoholism following his retirement from professional cricket.
