Cricket Mourns The 'Judge', Who Has Died Aged 62.

During the period preceding the frenetic T20 era, few could match a cricket ball with greater ferocity than Robin Smith. Shaped with the physique of a fighter yet endowed with the nimble footwork of his ballet dancer mother, he produced shots – notably his ferocious square cut – with such violence that they left dents in perimeter fencing while crushing the morale of opponents.

The cricketer's death comes following a long period of ill health, existed of profound contradictions. To the public eye, he was the epitome of a brave, front-foot player, famed for epic duels against express pace. But behind this show of machismo existed a deeply insecure individual, a conflict he masked during his playing days that subsequently fuelled battles with alcoholism and depression.

Unflinching Guts Mixed with a Desire for the Rush

His bravery versus fast bowling was unquestionably genuine. But the driving force, involved a combination of pure grit and an admitted addiction to adrenaline. Many felt he was neurologically unique, positively relishing the punishing challenge of facing extreme pace, a situation requiring instant responses and a willingness to suffer physical punishment.

This was perfectly illustrated during his legendary unbeaten 148 representing his country facing the Caribbean pace attack at Lord's Cricket Ground in 1991. On a difficult pitch, facing the furious onslaught of Curtly Ambrose and Malcolm Marshall, he did not merely endure but thrived, relishing the fierce contest of short balls and fours. In retrospect, he said the experience as leaving him “buzzing”.

A Stellar International Career

Playing largely in the middle order, He earned caps for England across 62 Tests and 71 One-Day Internationals during an eight-year international span. He scored over four thousand Test runs averaging 43-plus, featuring nine centuries. In ODI cricket, he gathered almost two and a half thousand runs with an average close to 40.

A particularly brutal innings occurred in 1993 against Australia versus the old enemy, where he smashed a brutal 167 runs. The innings was so powerful that he was reportedly direct praise from the country's leader. However, in a frustrating pattern, his team still failed to win that contest.

The 'Judge' and Lasting Contradictions

Dubbed ‘The Judge’ after a wig-like haircut that looked like a judge's wig, his mean in Test cricket stands as commendable, not least because he played during a period of English struggle. A common view is he was discarded prematurely by the panel after a difficult tour in South Africa in the winter of 95/96.

He admitted in his autobiography, he was two distinct characters: ‘Judge’, the tough, confrontational competitor who lived for conflict, and Robin Smith, a sensitive, emotional man. Each persona fought for dominance.

An unshakeable sense of loyalty occasionally led to trouble. Most famously involved him standing up for teammate Malcolm Marshall against racial taunts at a team hotel. When verbal requests were ignored, he floored the main aggressor, an act that broke his own hand leading to six weeks of cricket.

The Difficult Transition

Adapting to a world after professional sport became a huge struggle. The buzz of the game was substituted for the routine demands of commerce. Ventures into bat manufacturing ultimately faltered. Coupled with a strained relationship and serious money troubles, he descended into heavy drinking and profound despair.

Emigrating to Western Australia with his family provided a new beginning but failed to fix his personal demons. In a moment of deep crisis, he thought about taking his own life, before being talked back from that decision by the intervention of family and a neighbour.

His family includes Karin, his partner, Harrison and Margaux, and his brother, Chris.