Former England batsman Robin Smith, known for facing the world’s fastest bowlers during the 1980s and 1990s, died at the age of 62 at his home in Perth on Monday, December 1. Hampshire and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) expressed deep sorrow over the sudden death of the former cricketer.
Smith played international cricket for England between 1988 and 1996. He played 62 Test matches and 71 ODI matches and was also part of the England team that reached the final of the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Smith scored 4,236 runs in Tests at an average of 43.67, including nine centuries, his best score being 175 runs.
Former England batsman Robin Smith dies in Perth at the age of 62
Robin Smith’s family admitted that he struggled with alcohol and mental health problems after his retirement in 2004. However, he urged people not to speculate about the cause of his death. He requested privacy from the media and fans to recover from his loss.
“A brave and dynamic batsman, he excelled for both Hampshire and his adopted country, garnering a huge number of fans and friends along the way,” Smith’s family said in a statement.
“Since his retirement from the game in 2004, his battles with alcohol and mental health 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 postmortem 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.”
Hampshire and the ECB have confirmed that former batsman Robin Smith died unexpectedly at his Perth apartment on Monday. Incredible news, considering he was in Test form last week and has been in talks with the England Lions. The cause of death is currently unknown.
– Will MacPherson (@willis_macp) 2 December 2025
Robin Smith remembered for some memorable performances
Robin Smith is remembered for some memorable performances, including the famous innings of 175 against the West Indies in 1994. He played the innings against one of the most formidable pace attacks in the history of cricket. He also scored an unbeaten 167 runs in the ODI match against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.
That innings remained England’s highest ODI score for 23 years until Alex Hales broke the record in 2016. After retiring, Smith spoke about his battle with alcohol, which he detailed in his 2019 autobiography, The Judge: More Than Just a Game.
A few weeks before his demise, he took part in the first Ashes Test in Perth. After being invited by head coach Andrew Flintoff he spent time with the England Lions team at Lilac Hill and shared stories and experiences with the players.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is deeply saddened by the demise of Robin Smith.
The England and Wales Cricket Board released an official statement condoling the death of Robin Smith. He described him as a legend for both England and Hampshire. The Board expressed deep sorrow over his demise and paid tribute to him.
England Cricket wrote on
Everyone at the England and Wales Cricket Board is very saddened to hear the news of the passing of Robin Smith.
A legend of England and Hampshire.
Rest in peace, Judge
– England Cricket (@englandcricket) 2 December 2025
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