Garfield Sobers: 80 Not Out

Who do you get when you mix the left hand bat of a Graeme Pollock with the left and right arm pace of a Wasim Akram and a Glen McGrath? Add to this combination the left and right arm spin of a Derek Underwood and a Lance Gibbs. If being able to bowl with both hands in pace and in spin is not enough for a cricketer, then add to the above the electrifying fielding of a Johnty Rhodes. If you thought no cricketer could be so much, then you may like to wish one Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers who completed a life innings of 80 not out last Thursday July 28, 2016. 

Two of the first records I came across in cricket were both of Sir Garry Sobers. The first man to score six sixes in an over off Malcolm Nash in a County match between his Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in Swansea in 1968 and his world Test record 365 not out against Pakistan at Sabina Park, Jamaica, 1958. India's Ravi Shastri matched the six, sixes in one over in 1985. I never thought the 365 not out would be broken in the 20th century. When West Indies played England at Antigua and Brian Lara was on 320 not out at the end of day 2 following 164 not out at the end of day 1, I told myself Courtney Walsh isn't going to declare. Lara went on to 375 on Sunday April 17, 1994. Watching Sir Sobers walking to the centre of St John's, Antigua to congratulate Lara was one of my most cherished moments in cricket. 

Garfield Sobers was only not the best left handed batsman ever. Nor was he the best all-rounder ever, he could play on good tracks and on bad tracks. He could play off back and front foot with equal dexterity. He could hook the ball so that it would not end up as a catch to the boundary, but go from high to low. Sobers had the highest back-lift and fastest speed. This back-lift was not to be seen until one Brian Lara graced the game. Sobers could ball pace and spin equally in the same over including the Chinaman that's no longer seen in cricket. 

Sobers' greatest legacy lies in the way he could change a match with bat, ball and fielding. His every move on the field was one of grace. Outside the field he was a darling of media attraction. The media followed his every step as did the legion of followers. He became larger than life because he had created the aura that he could do whatever he wanted. Garry Sobers was probably cricket's first superstar before the term was ever coined. 

Every sport has its superman. And every superman of every sport has a platform where they perform and leave a mark no mortal can match in one living generation. Garry Sobers did this on more than one platform as we've seen. He was certainly the first superman of cricket. After South Africa's tour to Australia was cancelled due to apartheid, Garry Sobers captained the Rest of the World XI against Australia. In the Third Test in that series at Melbourne, Sobers scored 254 against a potent Australian pace attack that had the likes of Dennis Lillee. The greatest batsman of all, The Don described the innings as 'the greatest exhibition of batting seen in Australia'.

There will come many an all-rounder, a batsman, a bowler, a fielder who will make records difficult to surpass. But there never may come another all-rounded all-rounder like Garry Sobers who gifted every aspect of the game with power, but above all grace. On Sir Sobers' 80th birthday, good health and happiness.

Asrar Chowdhury teaches economic theory and game theory in the classroom. Outside he listens to music and BBC Radio; follows Test Cricket; and plays the flute. He can be reached at: asrar.chowdhury@facebook.com