The China Mail - Sobers 'stood out' among the greats: West Indies legend Holding

The Barbados-born Sobers, who has died at the age of 89, featured in 93 Tests between 1954 and 1974, amassing 8,032 runs and taking 235 wickets.

Holding, 72, never played with Sobers but said he was struck by the way he was revered in the game.

"Among the great cricketers he stood out," the former paceman told AFP by phone from his Cayman Islands home.

"Look at his numbers, and they are impressive but he too was impressive. I know other cricketers whose numbers are good but who I would not be impressed by."

Holding, who was part of a fearsome West Indies pace attack in the 1970s and 1980s, said: "People who played against him said he was number one.

"Ian Chappell, whom I saw on a regular basis when we worked for Channel 9 in Australia, said 'Mikey do not worry about the question, Is Garry Sobers the best all-rounder? He was more than that -- he was the best cricketer that ever lived'.

"Those are big words coming from someone who was a former Australian captain and lived in Australia, the country that Don Bradman came from."

Holding, who took 249 wickets in 60 Tests, said he had enjoyed Sobers' company.

"It was always good to be around Sir Garry," he said. "One thing I noticed is he never spoke about himself. There are so many cricketers who do and start with 'In my time'.

"He did not like to talk about the game a lot unless he was asked a question. He was a very humble man."

Sobers 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.

And his career was littered with extraordinary feats.

In 1958 he broke Len Hutton's record for the highest individual Test score by making 365 not out against Pakistan, a mark that stood for 36 years.

He was also the first player to hit six sixes in an over in a first-class match when he played for English county Nottinghamshire.

Holding said that while Sobers may have inspired young West Indians to take up the game, they would have been crazy to imagine it was possible to emulate him.

"Nobody could do what he did. If you did try, you would fall flat on your face," he said.

"You could look up at him on the pedestal and be proud he is from the Caribbean."

H.Au--ThChM