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According to him, Robin Smith was a “batsman ahead of his time”. England and Chairman of the Wales Cricket Board richard thompson Following the death of the former England international at the age of 62.
Smith, who played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, died on Monday. Australiawhere he lived, his family said in a statement.
He recently met the England Lions team in Perth ahead of the first Ashes Test at the invitation of coach Andrew Flintoff.
Thompson said: “Robin Smith was a player who stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, and faced hostile fast bowling with an aggressive smile and a ferocious shot.
“He did it in a way that made the England fans very proud and left no stone unturned in the entertainment.
“He was a batsman ahead of his time, exemplified by his unforgettable unbeaten inning of 167 off 163 balls in a One Day International against Australia.” edgbaston In 1993.
“His record hampshire Exemplary and will be remembered as a great Hampshire CCC player.
“We are extremely saddened to learn of his passing and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones.”
During his meeting with the England Lions team, Smith gave several candid interviews in which he opened up about facing mental health and addiction issues after retirement.
His family said the cause of his death was unknown and a postmortem examination would be conducted.
Born in Durban, Smith was renowned as a fearless batsman with a superb cut shot against fast bowling.
He played for Hampshire between 1982 and 2003 and made his Test debut in 1988 and scored nine centuries with a highest score of 175.
Smith also played 71 ODIs and was part of the England team that lost the 1992 World Cup final. His international career ended in 1996.
He captained Hampshire between 1998 and 2002 and previously helped them win the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1988 and 1992 and the NatWest Trophy in 1991.
Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said: “Robin Smith is one of the all-time heroes of Hampshire cricket, if not the greatest.
“He was a batsman with amazing power and control and one of the most courageous players this club has ever seen – especially against bowling of real pace.”
Announcing the news, Smith’s family said: “It is with the deepest and deepest sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and beloved brother of Christopher.
“Robyn died unexpectedly in his South Perth apartment on Monday 1 December. The cause of his death is currently unknown.
“Robin, widely known as ‘The Judge’, was born originally in South Africa in 1963 to parents John and Joey and is the younger brother of Christopher (Kippy) Smith. Robin rose to fame as one of England’s most charismatic and popular players.
“A brave and dynamic batsman, he excelled for both Hampshire and his adopted country, gathering a legion of fans and friends along the way.
“His battles with alcohol and mental health since his retirement from the game in 2004 have been well documented, but these should not be used as the basis for speculation regarding the cause of death, which will be determined in a post-mortem investigation.
“This is an extremely difficult time for all of us as we try to come to terms with our grief, and so we would greatly appreciate the media and cricket followers being considerate of our privacy.”
Former Hampshire player Kevin Pietersen said he had the “fondest memories” of Smith.
He said in a post on X: “Heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Robin Smith! Remember the Judge forever!”
“My heart goes out to his entire family and friendship group.”