Robin Smith, ex-England cricketer, dies aged 62

Former baseball player Robin Smith, 62, has passed away, according to his former team Hampshire.

On Tuesday, Hampshire posted the news of the passing of legendary batter Robin Smith on the social media platform X. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary batter Robin Smith.

Smith, a child of British parents, scored 13 centuries for England playing 62 Tests and 71 one-day internationals (ODIs).

He revealed his personal struggles in British newspapers only last week and admitted to having depression and drinking after retiring.

Smith became a dominant middle-order batter known for his striking ability against fast bowlers. When he was dropped after a series in South Africa in 1995-1996, he averaged 43.67 in tests, which is the highest mark among all contemporary England players.

He was England’s best batter at the time, in the 1980s and 1990s, according to a tearful Kevan James, Smith’s former Hampshire teammate, who was tearful.

In a time when the West Indies had a lot of fast bowlers, he was a super player. One of the few England batters who fought back and basically delivered what he could.

Chris Smith, a brother of Smith, who played his final Test at Leeds two years before making his England debut there in 1988, was Smith’s brother.

Smith, who was nicknamed “The Judge” for having curly hair that resembled a judge’s wig, scored 175 against the West Indies in Antigua in 1994, the same Test where Brian Lara ran a record-breaking 375 runs.

Smith also had a 167 against Australia in 1993, which was the highest innings by an England player in an ODI until 2016, when Alex Hales scored 171 against Pakistan.

According to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chair Richard Thompson, “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the world’s fastest bowlers, meeting stretches of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience.”

“He did it in a way that gave England fans unmatched entertainment and great pride.”