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Robin Smith followed his elder brother Chris to Hampshire in the early
1980s. Robin was a far more powerful stroke-player, with a rasping
square cut, and was soon recognised as a major talent, going on to
become England's most commanding middle order bartsman of the late '80s
and early 90s. His style was particularly effective against the West
Indian fast bowlers who were routing England batsmen when he joined the
Test team in 1988. He scored just 38 and 11 in his first Test at
Headingley, but it was clear he could cope with the attack of Marshall,
Ambrose, Walsh and Benjamin. At the Oval he was promoted to number four
and made 57. Against Australia in 1989 he had scores off 66, 0, 32, 96,
l43, 1, 11, 26, 11 and 77 not out. In the West Indies in 1989-90 his 57
in the first Test at Kingston was part of a big partnership with Allan
Lamb which won the match.
He made 62 and 40 in Barbados. Smith made 100
not out against India at Lord's and 121 not out at Old Trafford in 1990,
148 not out against West Indies at Lord's in 1991, followed by 109 at
the Oval. He was perceived to run into trouble against spin in India in
1992-93 and against Shane Warne immediately after, but he still made 128
against Muralitharan in Colombo and 93 and 86 against the Australians.
In 1993-94 he made 175 against the West Indies in the Antigua Test
whilst in the return series in 1995 he was promoted to open the innings.
He made 90 at Lord's, but was dropped a match later, disappearing into
county cricket after a 1995-96 visit to South Africa. In the 1992 World
Cup he scored 91 against India in Perth but missed the final. In 1996 he
was left out for the first fortnight, then scored 75 against Pakistan. (Bob Harragan)
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