Robin Smith, one of England's most successful batsmen over the last two decades, announced his first-class retirement on Friday on the eve of his 40th birthday.

The South African-born right-hander played 62 Tests for England between 1988 and 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at 43.67. He also played 71 one-day internationals with a batting average of 39.01.

Smith, one of Wisden's five players of the year for 1990, was ruled out of county cricket for three weeks earlier this month with a hamstring tear.

His retirement, at the end of the 2003 season, was announced at a news conference by Hampshire Cricket Club, for whom he played 307 matches in a first-class career that began 22 years ago. He scored 18,984 runs for the county and made 49 centuries.

Smith, a powerful cutter of the ball, was a particularly good player of fast bowling and almost single-handedly stood up to the all-conquering Australian touring attack of 1989, which regained the Ashes.

Smith headed England's batting averages in that series with 61.44.

However he was not so effective against spin bowling and struggled badly against Shane Warne -- as most of his teammates did from the early 1990s.

Smith was dropped by England after the 1995-96 series in South Africa, but there were widespread calls for his recall as his adopted country struggled to find a suitable replacement in the middle order going into the new millennium.

Popularly known as "Judgie" because of a hairstyle which supposedly resembled a lawyer's wig, Smith is completing his testimonial year at Hampshire.

He said earlier this year that he was thoroughly enjoying what has proved to be his final season.

"I'm fit, the desire, hunger and passion for the game is still there...I can't remember batting as well as this since I was playing Test cricket," he said.

His elder brother Chris also played for the county and represented England in eight Tests.