Garfield Sobers Profile: Cricket’s Complete All-Rounder
Profile of Sir Garfield Sobers, the Barbadian all-rounder who made 365 not out in a Test, averaged 57.78 and hit six sixes in an over in 1968.
Sir Garfield Sobers is regularly named among the greatest cricketers ever. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1936, he was a left-handed batter of rare elegance who also bowled in three different styles, and was an outstanding close fielder.
Early life and rise
Sobers made his Test debut for West Indies against England in Kingston in 1954, at the age of 17. His career grew quickly, and he soon became a mainstay of the West Indian side, scoring heavily and taking wickets in the same match.
Playing style
As a batter, Sobers was fluent and attacking, with a high backlift and a full range of strokes. As a bowler, he could bowl left-arm fast-medium with the new ball and switch to orthodox spin or wrist-spin when the pitch suited. Few players have offered such versatility.
Career highlights
In 1958, he scored 365 not out against Pakistan in Kingston, which was the highest individual score in Test cricket for 36 years, until Brian Lara passed it in 1994. Sobers played 93 Tests, scored 8,032 runs with 26 centuries at an average of 57.78, and took 235 wickets.
In 1968, he became the first batter to hit six sixes in a single over in first-class cricket, against Malcolm Nash while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at Swansea. He captained West Indies in 39 Tests between 1965 and 1972, and also led the Rest of the World side against England in 1970.
Legacy
Sobers retired from Test cricket in 1974. He was knighted in 1975 and inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. His blend of batting, bowling and fielding makes him the benchmark against which all-rounders are still measured.
Frequently asked questions
How old was Garfield Sobers on his Test debut?
He was 17 when he debuted against England in Kingston in 1954.
What was Sobers’s highest Test score?
He scored 365 not out against Pakistan in Kingston in 1958.
What did Sobers do at Swansea in 1968?
He hit six sixes in one over from Malcolm Nash while playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan.