Melbourne, Dec 2 (UNI) Former England batsman Robin Smith, celebrated for his fearless duels against the world’s fastest bowlers through the 1980s and 90s, has died at his home in South Perth, Australia, at the age of 62, his family announced on Tuesday.
Smith, who played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, scored 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67, including nine centuries. Three of those hundreds came against the mighty West Indies attack, which often brought out the best in his combative batting style. His trademark front-foot square cut was widely regarded as one of the most powerful shots of his era.
He was a pivotal figure in England’s memorable 1990 tour of the Caribbean, contributing significantly to their famous victory in the Jamaica Test. Smith was also central to the hard-fought 2-2 home series draws against West Indies in 1991 and 1995.
In limited overs cricket, Smith’s unbeaten 167 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993 stood as England’s highest ODI score for 23 years until Alex Hales surpassed it in 2016.
Despite his success against pace, a perceived vulnerability to spin proved costly at key moments. The emergence of Shane Warne during the 1993 Ashes led to Smith being omitted from England’s next tour of Australia. Ironically, Smith and Warne later formed a close friendship, with Smith playing a role in Warne’s decision to join Hampshire.
Born in Durban in 1963, Smith honed his skills in a backyard net built by his father, often practicing alongside greats like Barry Richards and Mike Procter. After moving to England, he made his debut against West Indies at Headingley in 1988, sharing a century stand with fellow South African Allan Lamb.
Smith’s final Test appearance came in Cape Town in January 1996. Despite a batting average surpassed only by David Gower and Graham Thorpe among his contemporaries, he was phased out during England’s transition to a younger squad.
Post-retirement, Smith openly chronicled his battle with alcoholism in his 2019 autobiography, The Judge: More Than Just A Game. He recently attended the first Ashes Test in Perth and engaged with England Lions players during a training session.
His family said the cause of his sudden death would be determined by a postmortem and urged the media and public to avoid speculation.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson paid tribute, saying Smith met the world’s fastest bowlers “with a defiant smile and incredible resilience,” calling him a batter ahead of his time and a Hampshire great.
