“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary batter Robin Smith,” Hampshire posted on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
Smith, born in South Africa to British parents, played 62 Tests and 71 one-day internationals (ODIs) for England, scoring 13 centuries.
He suffered from depression and alcoholism following his retirement, telling British newspapers only last week about his personal struggles.
Smith established himself as a belligerent middle-order batter known for his striking ability against fast bowlers. He averaged 43.67 in Tests, the highest among all contemporary England players when he was dropped after a series in South Africa in 1995-96.
“It’s a sad day … At the time, in the 80s and 90s, he was England’s best batter,” a tearful Kevan James, Smith’s former Hampshire teammate, told BBC Radio Solent.
“He was a super player, particularly of fast bowling in an era where the West Indies had all these fast bowlers. He was one of the few England batters who stood up to them and basically gave as good as he got.”
Smith was the brother of fellow England international Chris Smith, who played his last Test at Leeds two years before his England debut at the same ground in 1988.
Nicknamed “The Judge” for having curly hair like a judge’s wig, Smith scored 175 against the West Indies in Antigua in 1994, the same Test in which Brian Lara made a record-breaking 375 runs.
Smith also hit an unbeaten 167 against Australia in 1993, which remained the highest innings by an England player in an ODI until 2016, when Alex Hales made 171 against Pakistan.
