Robin Smith
England
Full name Robin Arnold Smith
Born September 13, 1963, Durban, Natal, South Africa
Current age 49 years 267 days
Major teams England, Hampshire, Natal
Also known as Judge
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak
Fearless yet fragile, much-loved yet mucked about, Smith's England career was a curious catalogue of contradictions. At his best he hammered fast bowling with supersonic cuts and hooks and visibly enjoyed the regular snatches of chin music from the West Indian quicks. At worst those rigid forearms were a handicap against his Achilles heel of slow bowling, and when he thrust forward hopefully even part-time offspinners fancied their chances. Even so, when he was dropped after the 1995-96 series in South Africa, Smith possessed the highest average of any contemporary England player. It did give him more time to concentrate on his various business interests and captaining Hampshire, but the feeling persists that England could have got more out of him. Lawrence Booth
Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 62 112 15 4236 175 43.67 9279 45.65 9 28 558 11 39 0
ODIs 71 70 8 2419 167* 39.01 3473 69.65 4 15 239 22 26 0
First-class 426 717 87 26155 209* 41.51 61 131 233 0
List A 443 423 60 14927 167* 41.12 27 81 159 0