Robin Smith (cricketer)
Robin Arnold Smith (born 13 September 1963) is a South African-born former Hampshire and England cricketer.
Smith was nicknamed Judge or Judgie for his resemblance to a judge when he grew his hair long. Like his older brother Chris, he was unable to play for the country of his birth because of the exclusion of the apartheid regime from international cricket, but because he had English parents he qualified to play for England.
He played for England in eleven home test series and on six overseas tours from 1988 to 1996. Smith was best known for his abilities against fast bowling, with what was regarded as a trademark square-cut that was hit ferociously.
Life and career
Smith was born in Durban, South Africa. In his first test at Headingley in 1988, he shared a century partnership with fellow South African born batsman Allan Lamb. This was one of very few century partnerships for England during the series against the firepower of the West Indies fast bowlers. The following summer, 1989, Smith was the only successful batsman in the Ashes series making two centuries. In his second hundred at Trent Bridge, he arrived with England already three wickets down chasing 600, and played some powerful shots - particularly off Mervyn Hughes whose bowling figures were, at one point 4-0-38-0.