In a statement, the family said, “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.”
They added that Smith “died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday, 1st December,” and that the cause of death remains unknown.
Smith, affectionately nicknamed “The Judge”, rose to prominence as one of England’s most iconic players. He captained Hampshire from 1998 to 2002, guiding the county to several major titles, including the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1988 and 1992, and the NatWest Trophy in 1991.
A dependable and powerful middle-order batsman, Smith represented England in 62 Test matches and 71 ODIs between 1988 and 1996. Renowned for his courage against express pace, he produced some memorable performances, including his career-best 175 against the West Indies in 1994.
He finished his Test career with 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67, including nine centuries.
Tributes poured in from across the cricketing community following news of his passing.
Kevan James, Smith’s former Hampshire teammate, said: “It’s been horrible. It’s a sad day, but when you look at someone’s career… 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.”
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Richard Thompson also honoured Smith, saying, “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.”
Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove added, “Robin Smith is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all-time Hampshire cricket heroes.”
