The China Mail - 'Great innings ends': Cricket mourns West Indies great Sobers

The Barbados-born player featured in 93 Tests between 1954 and 1974, amassing 8,032 runs and taking 235 wickets.

"A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers," West Indies Cricket posted on X on Friday above a photograph of him titled "Legend, Icon, Hero".

The versatile Sobers was an entertaining left-handed batter who could bowl spin and seam, and was an exceptional fielder.

He made his Test debut as a 17-year-old against England in 1954.

At the age of 21, Sobers broke Len Hutton's record for the highest individual Test score by making 365 not out against Pakistan.

His record would last until another West Indian master, Brian Lara, made 375 against England in 1994, with Sobers on hand to celebrate.

The all-rounder averaged an impressive 57.78 with the bat and 34.03 with the ball in Test cricket.

He also captained West Indies in 39 Tests between 1965 and 1972, winning nine and losing 10.

In a career filled with extraordinary feats, Sobers became the first player to hit six sixes in one over in first-class cricket, off Glamorgan's Malcolm Nash when playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire.

He was honoured as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the 20th century alongside Australia great Donald Bradman, Jack Hobbs, Viv Richards and Shane Warne.

The late Bradman paid the ultimate tribute to Sobers: "He is, in my opinion, the greatest cricketer of all time."

- 'Towering figure' -

West Indies CEO Chris Dehring described Sobers as a "towering figure whose influence on our game and our region can never be overstated".

"Sir Garfield was more than the greatest all-round cricketer the world has ever seen," he said in a statement.

"He was the embodiment of West Indies cricket at its finest -- bold, brilliant, innovative and unapologetically excellent. His extraordinary achievements transformed the way the game was played and inspired generations of cricketers."

Nottinghamshire described their former player as "cricket's greatest-ever all-rounder" and an iconic figure in the club's history.

International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah said the sport had lost "one of its icons".

"Sir Garfield Sobers was not only the finest all-rounder the game has ever known, but one of the greatest cricketers in history," he said in a statement.

"His remarkable ability to influence a match in every facet of the game set him apart from his peers."

England Cricket posted on X: "One of the greatest to ever play the game. Forever in our hearts, Sir Garfield Sobers."

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott described Sobers as "like a panther with a purposeful, loping and confident walk".

"I just loved the way Garry walked out to bat," he wrote in the Telegraph.

"He didn't say anything. He did not need to. There was no ego. His walk let the opposition know he was there for business."

C.Smith--ThChM