Former England Cricketer Robin Smith Dies at 62

Former England cricketer Robin Smith, a prolific batsman known for his resilience against fast bowling, has died at the age of 62. The news emerged on Tuesday morning when his longtime friend and former Hampshire teammate Kevan James announced it tearfully on BBC Radio Solent while reading sports updates.

Smith passed away overnight in Australia, where he had traveled to follow the Ashes series. James, who played alongside Smith in the late 1980s and early 1990s, struggled to compose himself during the broadcast. "It's been horrible," James said. "It's a sad day, but when you look at someone's career... At the time, 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."

Born in Durban, South Africa, Smith qualified to represent England and made his Test debut against the West Indies in 1988. Over the next eight years, he played 62 Tests, amassing 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67, including nine centuries. His highest score of 175 came against the West Indies in Antigua in...