New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Former England batter Robin Arnold Smith, remembered as one of the greatest players of fast bowling England ever had, has passed away at the age of 62 in Perth, Australia. Smith, widely known as ‘The Judge’, died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday, the cricketer’s family said. However, the cause of Smith’s death is at present unknown.

“Everyone at the England & Wales Cricket Board is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Robin Smith. An England and Hampshire legend. Rest in peace, Judge,” England Cricket said in an X post.

During his England career, Smith played 62 Tests and 71 ODIs, amassing more than 6,500 runs, including 4,236 Test runs with nine centuries. At the end of his career, he had a Test average of 43.67. He was also part of the England squad that reached the 1992 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final against Pakistan.

Smith’s family said in a statement, “It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of Christopher…”

“A brave and dashing batsman, he excelled both for Hampshire and his adopted country, collecting legions of admirers and friends along the way. This is an immensely difficult period for us all whilst we try to come to terms with our bereavement, and we would therefore much appreciate consideration for our privacy by the media and cricket followers alike.

“Since his retirement from the game in 2004, his battles with alcohol and mental health have been well documented, but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death, which will be determined at the postmortem investigation.”

Born in Durban, South Africa, Smith moved to England to play for Hampshire. He played for Hampshire across 21 years between 1982 and 2003, captaining the county between 1998 and 2002.

In his time with the Rose and Crown, Smith played over 300 first-class matches, scoring 18,984 runs with a high score of 209 not out at an impressive average of 42.09. Smith also made 347 List A appearances for Hampshire, securing over 12,000 runs at an average of 42.97.

“Known as ‘The Judge’, Smith played over 600 times for Hampshire and scored over 30,000 runs for the club in a career that spanned more than 20 years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” Hampshire Cricket posted on X.

He retired from cricket at the age of 40, with 18,984 county runs to his name and a reputation as a Hampshire great.

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

“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 of 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.”

–IANS

bc/bsk/