Garfield Sobers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Sobers in 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 28 July 1936 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Prudence Kirby
(m. 1969; div. 1990) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards |
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Garfield St Aubrun Sobers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 84) | 30 March 1954 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 5 April 1974 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Only ODI (cap 11) | 5 September 1973 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952/53–1973/74 | Barbados | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961/62–1963/64 | South Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1974 | Nottinghamshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 13 September 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Right Excellent Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, NH, AO, OCC (born 28 July 1936), also known as Sir Gary or Sir Garry Sobers, is a former Barbadian cricketer who played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974. A highly skilled bowler, an aggressive batsman and an excellent fielder, he is widely considered to be cricket's greatest ever all-rounder[1] and one of the greatest cricketers of all time.[2]
Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, Sobers made his first-class debut for the Barbados cricket team at the age of 16 in 1953, and his Test debut for the West Indies the following year. Originally playing mainly as a bowler, he was soon promoted up the batting order. Against Pakistan in 1958, Sobers scored his maiden Test century, progressing to 365 not out and establishing a new record for the highest individual score in an innings. His record was not broken until Brian Lara scored 375 in 1994. Sobers was made captain of the West Indies in 1965, a role which he would hold until 1972. He would also captain a Rest of the World XI during their 1970 tour of England.
Overall, Sobers played 93 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 8032 runs at an average of 57.78, and taking 235 wickets at an average of 34.03. He has the fifth-highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of cricketers with more than 5,000 runs.[3] In his 383 first-class matches, he scored over 28,000 runs and took over 1000 wickets, having spent time with South Australia and Nottinghamshire towards the end of his career. Sobers was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his services to cricket.[4] He became a dual Barbadian-Australian citizen through marriage in 1980.[5][6] By an act of Parliament in 1998, Sobers was named as one of the eleven National Heroes of Barbados.[7][8] In 2009, Sobers was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.[9]
- ^ "They broke the mould after Sir Garry". espncricinfo.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "Five cricketers of the century: Sir Garfield Sobers". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo.
- ^ Staff writer (19 February 1975). "Barbados: Queen Elizabeth Knights Cricket Hero Sir Garfield 'Gary' Sobers In Open-Air Ceremony. 1975". britishpathe.tv. Reuters. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth ended a two-day visit to the Barbados by knighting West Indian cricket hero Garfield 'Gary' Sobers before a crowd of 50,000 in Bridgetown on Wednesday (19 February).
- ^ "Sobers bat that hit six sixes is up for sale". Telegraph.co.uk. 26 September 2000. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "Reuters:Cricket, Australia honours Steve Waugh in Queen's Birthday list". In.rediff.com. 9 June 2003. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
NationNewswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Parliament of Barbados (2009). "Parliament's History". Barbadosparliament.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ Cricinfo (2 January 2009). "ICC and FICA launch Cricket Hall of Fame". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 19 November 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2019.