Robin Smith, the South African-born former England batter renowned for his fearlessness against fast bowling, has died at the age of 62, his former county Hampshire confirmed on Tuesday.
Smith, who played 62 Tests and 71 one-day internationals for England, scored more than 4,000 Test runs and 13 international centuries during a career spanning the late 1980s and 1990s.
Known for his aggressive middle-order batting and resilience against the dominant West Indies pace attack of the era, Smith finished with a Test average of 43.67—England’s highest among his contemporaries at the time he was dropped after the 1995–96 South Africa tour.
His family said he died unexpectedly on December 1 at his apartment in South Perth, with the cause of death yet to be determined.
Nicknamed “The Judge” for his distinctive curly hair, Smith delivered several standout innings, including 175 against the West Indies in Antigua in 1994—the same match in which Brian Lara scored a then-world-record 375—and an unbeaten 167 against Australia in 1993, an ODI record for England that stood until 2016.
Following his retirement, Smith spoke openly about his struggles with depression and alcoholism, discussing his challenges in interviews published only last week.
Tributes have poured in from across the cricketing world. Former teammate Kevan James called it “a sad day,” adding that Smith was “England’s best batter” of his era. England and Wales Cricket Board chair Richard Thompson remembered him as a player who “stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world… with a defiant smile and incredible resilience.”
Smith is survived by his children, Harrison and Margaux, and his brother Chris Smith, who also represented England.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary batter Robin Smith.
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… pic.twitter.com/eEB715R3pr
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) December 2, 2025
So sad, another sudden death?????? What could be causing all these sudden deaths and straight to stage 4 cancers????????
Well at least he didn’t get Covid.