Legendary cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers dies at 89

STC SPORTS DESK
SRINAGAR, JULY 17 (STC): Legendary West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers, one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history died in Bridgetown, Barbados, today at the age of 89, reports a cross section of media.
The death of the legendary cricketer was confirmed by his son Daniel, the reports said.
Sobers was only 10 days shy of completing his 90th birthday.
Remarkably, Sir Garry Sobers is considered an undisputed cricketing great and widely regarded as the sport’s greatest all-rounder.
In 1968, he became the first batsman to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in first-class cricket at Glamorgan’s St Helen’s ground in Swansea. However, his achievements in a long and illustrious career were numerous.
As per an agency report, the late Richie Benaud, a revered broadcaster and former Australia captain, described Sobers as “the greatest all-round cricketer the world has seen”. He wrote: “Sobers was a brilliant batsman, splendid fielder, particularly close to the wicket, and a bowler of extraordinary skill, whether bowling with the new ball, providing orthodox left-arm spin or over-the-wrist spin.”

Sobers made his first-class debut for Barbados at the age of 16 in 1953, and such was his extraordinary talent he was quickly called up by his country and made his Test debut for West Indies the following year.
It did not take him long to make his mark on the world stage. Against Pakistan in 1958, Sobers scored his maiden Test century, eventually recording 365 not out, a new record for the highest individual score in a Test innings. The record was not broken until Brian Lara did so in 1994.
Sobers retired relatively early for a player of his stature and ability at the age of 38 in 1974, Wisden commenting a year later: “Some great players of the past continued appreciably longer. Simply enough, mentally and physically tired, he had lost his zest for the sport which had been his life – and was still his only observable means of earning a living.

“Ostensibly he had a damaged knee; in truth he was the victim of his unique range of talents – and the jet age. Because he was capable of doing so much, he was asked to do it too frequently. He did more than any other cricketer, and did it more concentratedly because high speed aircraft enabled him to travel half across the world in a day or two. Perhaps the long sea voyages between seasons of old had a restorative effect.”
Sir Garry Sobers becomes the first batsman to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in first-class cricket in 1968.
In total Sobers played 93 Tests for West Indies, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, and taking 235 wickets at an average of 34.03. He has the fourth-highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of players with more than 5,000 runs.
In his 383 first-class matches, he scored more than 28,000 runs and took over 1,000 wickets, having spent time with South Australia and, towards the end of his career, Nottinghamshire. Sobers was knighted in 1975 for his services to cricket.
The International Cricket Council awards the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy to the men’s cricketer of the year.
(Straight Talk Communications I Source: The Guardian)