London: Players from both the Indian and English teams, along with match officials, wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence at Lord’s on Sunday to pay a poignant tribute to the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away on Friday at the age of 89.
Before the start of the series-deciding match, players from both competing teams, alongside the match officials, lined up on the ground to observe a minute’s silence in honour of Sobers, widely regarded as the sport’s greatest-ever all-rounder.
The perfectly observed minute’s silence drew deep respect from the packed Lord’s crowd, thus evoking a wave of nostalgia and respect for Sobers. Born in Barbados, Sobers was an unparalleled titan of the game whose international career ran from 1954 to 1974.
He amassed 8,032 runs in 93 Tests at a staggering average of 57.78, while also claiming 235 wickets and holding 109 catches. He was also famously the first batter in first-class cricket history to smash six sixes in an over, a feat achieved in 1968.
“To the community of West Indies cricket, he is a legend – one of the greatest all-rounders ever. I saw him a couple of months ago when I was at home in Barbados and he said he was moving well for his age. I was very sad to hear the news (of his passing),” England pacer Jofra Archer had said to broadcasters ahead of the third ODI.
Apart from captaining West Indies in 39 Tests, Sobers is also one of only two players, alongside Jacques Kallis, to achieve the double of 8,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests. Young batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell, talking to the broadcasters, remembered Sobers as a ‘larger than life’ figure and recalled how he helped him play for England.
“He was a larger-than-life character, whether around the golf club when I used to go and play a couple of rounds with him or in and around the cricket stuff that I witnessed. First of all, he was a very humble guy that just everybody gravitated towards.
“Every time he walked into anywhere, the place would come alive. It was unbelievable to be able to spend a bit of time with him and be around someone of that calibre. The major helping point for me personally was helping me get over to England. (The reference he wrote) helped me a lot to get over here and do what I’m doing now.”
(IANS)
