Robin Smith out for remainder of the season (comment)

Robin Smith who pulled up again with a re-occurance of the ham-string injury that kept him out of the side for 6 weeks, is now out for the remainder of the 2003 season.

Judgie as he is affectionately known, did return in the first innings at Somerset, and his brave innings of 56 not out helped his side to reach a total of 395.

Speculation, rumour or conjecture, whatever you wish to call it but the quiet word is whether the significance of this 56* is that it could be his last ever innings for Hampshire.

Although the club have yet to announce their retained list for 2004, it could be that the man who has held Hampshire and England's batting together for so many years, will have hung up his boots, and put his array of bats out to grass.

It is hoped that should this occur the club will honour him, and that he will not be lost to Hampshire Cricket altogether.

There have been many legends of Hampshire cricket, Phil Mead, Alec Kennedy, Derek Shackleton to name just three, but in the modern era, Judgie has been an outstanding player, a real legend and a popular man to boot.

It is interesting whilst following Hampshire as scorer for so many years, that at away games, the announcement of the in-coming batsman Robin Smith is always greeted with a special round of applause that is not noticable for other players. That is the affection he holds with all cricket lovers.

If this is the swansong, and more will be wrote about it later, then Hampshire supporters have much to remember with fondness.