Hampshire will honour club legend Robin Smith at the opening day of the 2026 Rothesay County Championship season against Essex at Utilita Bowl on Good Friday.

Players, supporters and staff will come together to remember one of the club’s greatest-ever figures, following Smith’s passing in December at the age of 62.

Affectionately known as ‘The Judge’, Smith embodied the spirit of Hampshire Cricket – a fearless batter, a natural competitor and a character whose warmth and charisma made him beloved by team-mates and supporters alike.

A series of tributes will take place throughout the opening day to celebrate Smith’s life and legacy.

Players will wear black armbands, and all attendees, including both teams, will be invited to take part in a minute’s silence before the fixture begins.

At lunch, supporters will be invited onto the pitch to watch a special tribute video on the big screens.

A book of condolences will be available for fans to share their memories and messages, and a memorabilia display celebrating Smith’s career will be on show in the Atrium.

Supporters are encouraged to be in their seats ahead of the start of play to take part in the pre-match tribute.

Hampshire Cricket will also host a memorial for Robin Smith in June, providing a further opportunity for the cricketing community to come together and celebrate his life.

Smith’s association with Hampshire spanned more than two decades, representing the club between 1982 and 2003 and captaining the side from 1998 to 2002.

He established himself as one of the finest players to play for Hampshire, scoring heavily across formats and becoming the only player to surpass 10,000 limited-overs runs for the club.

On the international stage, Smith earned 62 Test caps for England and scored more than 4,000 runs with nine centuries.