Former England Test batter and Hampshire captain Robin Smith passes away at 62

Former England cricketer Robin Smith, who amassed more than 4,000 runs in Test cricket, has died at the age of 62. His family announced that he passed away unexpectedly at his home in Perth on Monday, December 1. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.

Smith represented England in 62 Tests and 71 ODIs between 1988 and 1996. Renowned for his courage and technical brilliance against fast bowling, he scored nine Test centuries and finished with an impressive average of 43.67 in the longest format.

One of his finest innings came in 1994, when he produced a commanding 175 against the West Indies in the Caribbean, an era defined by the hosts’ formidable pace attack. The knock solidified Smith’s reputation as one of the best players of fast bowling, particularly celebrated for his trademark cut shot. Smith was also a key member of the England squad that reached the 1992 Cricket World Cup final, where they finished runners-up to Pakistan.

Born in South Africa, Smith enjoyed a distinguished domestic career with Hampshire, serving as the club’s captain for four years. Tributes have poured in since news of his passing, with former teammate Kevan James sharing an emotional remembrance during a broadcast interview on Tuesday.

“It’s been horrible. It’s a sad day. At the time, in the 80s and 90s, he was England’s best batter. 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,” said James on Solent News.

Just two weeks ago, England Lions head coach Andrew Flintoff had invited Smith to address the squad during their tour of Australia. Meeting the players at Lilac Hill, Smith spent more than an hour with the group, sharing stories from his international career and offering insights into the art of batting and handling the pressures of the game.

“Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers around, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and a ferocious shot. He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment,” said ECB chair Richard Thompson.

“He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993. His record at Hampshire is exemplary, and he’ll be remembered rightly as a great Hampshire CCC. We’re desperately sad to learn of his passing, and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones,” he added.