Paying his tributes to the former England great, the ECB chair Richard Thompson said in a statement, “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience.
“He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment.
“He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993,” he added.