Happy 84th, Sir all-rounder

Happy 84^th birthday to the second-best cricketer of all time who could have played for any side as a batsman, a fast bowler or a left arm spinner.

Sir Garfield St Auburn Sobers who turned 84 years old today who was the best cricketer born in Barbados. Sir Garfield also is known as Gary has played 93 Tests and a single ODI for the West Indies. His career lasted for two long decades. The Barbados born lad is undoubtedly the best all-rounder to have played the game of cricket. He scored 8032 runs, took 236 wickets, and fielded 110 catches in the international arena. 

Sir Gary Sobers was one in the elite list of all-rounders who could play for any side as a batsman or a bowler. Sobers was a much-celebrated player of his time that’s why Sir Don Bradman called him a “Five in One Cricketer”. He said, Sir Gary was an exceptional batsman, a gun fielder who could field anywhere, a left-arm seamer, left-arm spinner, and left-arm wrist spinner too. He got knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his cricketing services, he was also named in the top five Wisden Cricketers of the century in 2000 and in the year 2004, ICC named their Cricketer of the year award on his name as Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. These are some proofs of his greatness.

Sir Gary had an impeccable career where he with his mates made the West Indies cricket team-best of that era. Recalling all the wonders of such an illustrious man is impossible but here are some instances which a true cricket romantic must know.

Number one has to be Sir Gary’s best score in the tests. His best score was a triple century and at that time it was also the highest score by any batsman in test cricket. At the age of 21 years, Sir Gary Sobers scored his maiden international century and later converted that a mammoth score of 365 not out. This innings came against Pakistan at Sabina Park, Kingston. He batted for 614 minutes and hit 38 fours in that innings. He scored 824 runs in the 5 tests against Pakistan in that series. Sir Gary remains the youngest triple centurion in the history of International Cricket. 

The second was the miraculous event in Cricket. The West Indian all-rounder hit six sixes in a county match. In 1968, Sir Gary used to play for Nottingham and he was also captaining the side. The match was against Glamorgan County in England. He hit Malcolm Nash for six maximums in a single over and scored 36 runs in a first-class match. The miraculous wonder was supposed to happen by a miraculous player.

Sir Garfield Sobers was the man who turns the match on his own by bat or ball. Sir Gary was one such bowler who would give his team crucial breakthrough at most important times but his balling best was from 1961 to 1968. He would take averagely four wickets in a match at an average of 27.93. In that period he took 5 five-wicket hauls. Amongst those five, the best has to be his 5 for 41 against England in the Headingly test of 1966. He took 9 wickets in that match and due that West Indies won the match by an inning.

Lastly is the most controversial instant of his entire career. West Indies was touring India in 1967-67 for a three-match test series. This instance is from the third test of series at Chennai. The touring side was already 2 up in the series. Sir Gary was the captain and also the star player of his team. Before the test match, Sobers allegedly had a bet with his friend I.S. Johar that he would get 10 thousand rupees if he scores a century in the match. He scored 95 runs but missed out on the bet. The bet was revised again that if get out on zero runs, he would get 20 thousand. He denied and got angry with his friend. Later, he scored a match-winning 74 off 154 balls and proved his loyalty for his team and the game. West Indies won the series 2-0. 

Undoubtedly, Sir Garfield Sobers was the greatest all-rounder of all time, one the best to have played the game, and a loyal romantic of cricket.