Why Sobers Was So Special

[b]In the pantheon of the game’s elite all-rounders, the name closest to Sobers might be Jacques Kallis. The South African was an excellent, if slightly reticent, stroke player and a highly competent pace bowler capable, at his best, of generating alarming velocity. Other members of this rarefied club include Keith Miller, Ian Botham, and Imran Khan.

Looking throughout cricket’s long history, however, it is clear that the true, top-class all-rounder has not emerged all that frequently. This is likely an indication of how taxing the all-rounder’s job can be and how difficult it is to master both batting and bowling, two markedly disparate skills requiring totally dissimilar gifts. To excel at both normally requires a lavish and varied supply of natural gifts along with an adequate expenditure of the time and effort necessary to nurture them to a high level.

Mastering both batting and bowling at the highest level is difficult in the same way that it is difficult for a top-level sprinter to become a top-level long-distance runner or for a pitcher in the major leagues in baseball to also be a champion slugger. Bits-and-pieces players abound, but the genuine article is hard to find.[/b]
Jamaica Observer

In reply to spider

You're gonna bring Dukes back... Garfield St. A. simply the greatest of the greats. On retirement his record- Highest test run-scorer, highest # of test tons,in top ten of test wkts for sure if also not batting averages. Certainly top 10 maybe even top 5 for catches. On memory I think only Cowdrey was ahead of him on catches (fielder) at the time

In reply to spider & Brerzerk

That's why I can and will attribute one of my most flattering moments to that time when the one and only Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers used my camera to take a picture of yours truly conversing with Sir Everton DeCourcy Weeks along with Sir Clyde Walcott's son.

Still getting chills from the memory.

All these otherworldly skills from the Greatest cricketer on Earth or Mars without a helmet and against fast bowlers with no limits on bouncers

In reply to Castled

That walk to the wicket was it with the collar up.
A Indian fan told me Sir Frank was the first to style ' collar turn up.

Just imagine if his ROW stats were included!

In reply to tc1

I saw him playing only once for Police, and I was not happy.
It was the last game of the local season, Police only needed a few points to win, with the Blues also having an opportunity to win.
Being a Blues fan, not even Sir Gary got any love from me, I did receive an autographed ball from him.

In reply to openning I saw him up close at Maple, he was having a good time with the guys.
Very down to earth guy ,as Drapsey indicated.

In reply to tc1

I had seen him several times playing regional and test cricket, but never close up.
Pickwick vs Police at the Mecca, Sir Gary ran thru Pickwick, then Tony White bowled Sir Gary first ball, Sir Gary said when asked what happen, he said he was looking for the ball to turn but it was straight as an arrow, Tony White when ask said, the ball moved so much and Garry was found wanting.
Jokes galore came after, and drinking started.
One of the scorers knew me and got me the greatest autograph.

In reply to openning

Nice, I will be in Bim for 2 days of the test in June

In reply to spider

Sir Garfield was just simply the best with both bat and ball hands down. His cricket greatness as an allrounder has helped to romanticize the region for decades with fervent enthusiasm for allrounders.

In reply to Slipfeeler

That were exceptional fielders, you forgot to add. Thought that was what you meant when you said bat and ball hand...

In reply to openning

Rumour was Sir Gary was driven to superhuman feats to honor his close friend the deceased Collie Smith the great Jamaican allrounder.

Any truth ?

In reply to Castled

Yes, he said that he was playing crivket for his twin brother, they were inseparable.
Hubert might be able to share more information on the twin.
It was Sir Frank that help him overcome much of his guilt on the death of his friend.

In reply to Castled

Collie's death was a blur to me as a kid, I remember people talking about the Car crash.
I started following cricket during the 1957 tour of England and got to see my first 1st division match later that year, when Wes returned home.
I knew about the 3' W's, but had never seen them, It was the 1960 tour of Australia where my knowledge of the sport started.
I have seen more of Sir Everton and Wes than Sir Gary, having only seen him once playing 1st division cricket for Police.
The day he scored 365 was the first time my dad got my older sister older brother, and me to listen, the game was interrupted by horse racing, my dad loves the horses.
The day I believed Sir Gary to be better than any player I have seen was a regional match against T&T. He was brutal.
Picture, the crowd kept yelling and the umpires for some of the decisions against Barbados, at the fall of Bim's last wicket, Sir Gary trotted out marked his guard, his team came out a few minutes later, then the T&T openers.
It was like a man toying with boys.
He was a wrecking crew; you had to love him and put him on the top shelf.
There is no cricketer better than Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers.