Kevin Pietersen, the previous England and Hampshire batsman, joined a lot of former cricketers in paying tribute to Smith.
“Heartbreaking to listen to concerning the tragic lack of Robin Smith! At all times have the fondest recollections of The Pass judgement on! My middle is going out to his complete circle of relatives and friendship workforce,” Pietersen stated on social media.
Rod Bransgrove, Hampshire’s former proprietor, stated Smith’s “enthusiasm for county cricket didn’t have an effect on performances for his nation and demonstrated a membership dedication hardly observed at the moment”.
He added: “Robin Smith is without doubt one of the largest, if now not the best, of all time Hampshire Cricket heroes. He used to be a batsman of superior energy and keep an eye on and among essentially the most brave avid gamers this membership has ever observed – particularly in opposition to bowling of actual tempo.
“Greater than the rest, The Pass judgement on hooked up with everybody he got here into touch with. He used to be one of the widespread avid gamers ever to play the sport all of us love, and he’ll be vastly neglected via avid gamers, participants, body of workers and supporters – now not best in Hampshire, however right through the rustic and past.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s chairman, Richard Thompson, added: “Robin Smith used to be a participant who stood toe to toe with one of the most fastest bowlers on the planet, assembly spells of adversarial quick bowling with a defiant smile and an implausible resilience. He did so in some way that gave England enthusiasts monumental satisfaction, and no scarcity of leisure.”
Robin Smith pictured for a studio portrait circa 1989 in London, England.Credit score: Hulton Archive
Smith used to be born in Durban in 1963, and used to be the more youthful brother of Chris, who additionally went directly to play for Hampshire and gained 8 Take a look at caps for England. Robin reached larger heights, despite the fact that, and used to be a central determine for England in an technology the place the selectors incessantly chopped and adjusted, and opposition groups – together with the mighty West Indies – had been sturdy. 3 of Smith’s Take a look at centuries got here in opposition to the West Indies.
Smith’s former Hampshire team-mate, Kevan James, spoke about his dying on BBC Solent Radio.
“It’s been terrible,” he stated. “It’s a tragic day, however whilst you take a look at any individual’s occupation… On the time, within the Eighthies and Nineteen Nineties, he used to be England’s absolute best batter.
“He used to be a great participant, in particular of quick bowling in an technology the place the West Indies had a majority of these quick bowlers. He used to be one of the vital few England batters who stood as much as them and mainly gave as excellent as he were given.”
Supremely courageous at the box however plagued via uncertainty off it
Robin Smith confronted quick bowling full-on, despite the fact that, tragically, the similar may just now not be stated for lifestyles itself.
Smith used to be universally referred to as “Judgey” for the form of his hair. He used to be one of the vital bravest batsmen ever to take at the West Indies once they had been in impact the sector Take a look at champions, owing to the calibre in their improbable fast-bowling contingent.
Smith strode out to the center, mighty of forearm, murderous of sq. minimize, and not gave a touch of the uncertainties which plagued him off the sphere. Those that may just take down West Indies had been only a few however along Allan Lamb, Graham Gooch, Allan Border, who used to be additionally born in South Africa of a British dad or mum, used to be Smith.
Smith’s father had put in a bowling device within the lawn in their circle of relatives house in Durban when such machines had been novelties, now not ten-a-penny in academies. Smith’s sq. minimize used to be born right here, and he quickly had the forearms to check his method.
Robin Smith, proper, with David Gower and on the SCG in 1990.Credit score: Michele Mossop
A long way from being prolific in opposition to medium-pacers on three-day county pitches whilst taking part in for Hampshire, Smith right away appeared a Take a look at batsman when he made the step up. That might now not be stated of each England participant within the 1988 sequence in opposition to West Indies.
Smith made his debut within the fourth Take a look at at Headingley, when the all-rounder Roger Harper used to be one way or the other decided on via West Indies. No longer one over of Harper’s off-spin used to be bowled as England had been mown down for 201 and 138.
Chris Cowdrey were picked as England’s captain for this sport, which used to be possibly now not totally a accident because the chairman of England’s selectors, Peter Might, used to be his godfather. Cowdrey used to be out of his intensity, and not represented England once more. Smith entered the sector with England 80 for 4, and batted to the style born.
It helped that Lamb used to be on the different finish, of the similar background, and supplied with the similar sq. minimize and braveness. Nonetheless, it used to be an enormous problem for a person on his Take a look at debut to stand Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Winston Benjamin and Courtney Walsh. Because of that upbringing, Smith used to be straight away on top of things. His first-innings ranking of 38 does now not absolutely replicate it; however he shared a century partnership ahead of Lamb persisted the occupational danger when batting in opposition to West Indies, and retired harm.
Shane Warne talks together with his captain Robin Smith all over the Benson and Hedges Cup sport between Essex and Hampshire.Credit score: Graham Chadwick/ALLSPORT
Smith averaged 43 in 62 Checks general (he additionally performed 71 one-day internationals), and 44 in opposition to West Indies. He hit two centuries within the 1991 sequence, and 175 in his ultimate Take a look at in opposition to them. This used to be after Brian Lara had scored 375 in Antigua. Fatigued as England had been, they nonetheless matched the house facet’s overall of 593.
In 1989, when England had been a pitiful rabble within the face of Australia, Smith stood up taller than every other batsman to make two extra loads. Australia didn’t have a spinner of a lot notice on that excursion; however they did on their subsequent in 1993 (Shane Warne) and Smith’s batting step by step tailed off.
The ones mighty forearms weren’t such a lot use when it got here to protecting in opposition to Warne, Anil Kumble and Mushtaq Ahmed. Smith did make 100 within the Colombo Take a look at of 1993, however he used to be driven as much as open and keep away from the worst of Muttiah Muralitharan and Sri Lanka’s different spinners. Bowling machines, when he used to be an adolescent, may just now not mirror spin as they do now.
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Somewhat upfront, Smith used to be deserted after England’s 1995-96 excursion of South Africa. He went directly to do tremendous and conscientious carrier because the captain of Hampshire from 1998 to 2002, and already had his medals for profitable cup finals for his county at Lord’s.
He’ll be fondly remembered, for his ultimate, pugilistic bravery in opposition to quick bowling and for his human frailties, however above all possibly for an innings of 167 now not out in opposition to Australia in 1993, the very best for England in limited-overs cricket till that time.
In a one-day global of 55 overs consistent with facet at Edgbaston he made his runs off 163 balls, within the days when batting at a run a ball used to be uncommon. No Shane Warne to stand in that sport, best the off-spinner Tim Might. England nonetheless misplaced, as they had been wont to do in the ones days in opposition to Australia, however by no means for need of Smith’s making an attempt.
