cricket

Sobers – the figures speak for themselves

The first time Sobers entered three figures was memorable. It was at Kingston in 1957-58 and ended with the 21-year-old batting till he was 365 not out and the holder of the record for the highest score in Test cricket.

The mark stood for 37 years until another West Indies left-hander, Brian Charles Lara (375), broke it against England in Antigua in 1993-94. Ten years later, Australian Matthew Hayden claimed the record with a knock of 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003-04 but Lara reclaimed it with an unbeaten 400 against England the same season.

Score Venue Season vs Australia 132 Brisbane 1960-61 168 Sydney 1960-61 110 Adelaide 1968-69 113 Sydney 1968-69 vs England 226 Bridgetown 1959-60 147 Kingston 1959-60 145 Georgetown 1959-60 102 Headingley 1963 161 Old Trafford 1966 163* Lord’s 1966 174 Headingley 1966 113* Kingston 1967-68 152 Georgetown 1967-68 150* Lord’s 1973

I believe Gary Sobers’s innings was probably the best ever seen in Australia. The people who saw Sobers have enjoyed one of the historic events of cricket. They were privileged to have such an experience. – Sir Donald Bradman on the 254 which Sobers made for the Rest of the World against Australia in Melbourne, 1971-2.

You know, I’ve read about you and now I’ve really seen you. We got our backsides cut good and proper today and I still appreciate it. – Dennis Lillee to Sobers as he made his way back after the knock of 254 in Melbourne, 1971-2

Score Venue Season vs India 142* Bombay 1958-59 198 Kanpur 1958-59 106* Calcutta 1958-59 153 Kingston 1962 104 Kingston 1962 108* Georgetown 1971 178* Bridgetown 1971 132 Port-of-Spain 1971 vs New Zealand 142 Bridgetown 1971-72 vs Pakistan 365* Kingston 1957-58 125 Georgetown 1957-58 (Ist innings) 109* Georgetown 1957-58 (2nd innings)

When a captain wins, he is applauded. When he loses, he is a fool and deserves to be sacked. There were many people calling for my removal after that match. – Sobers after the fourth Test against England in 1968. He declared the second innings at 92 for two and England won.

Century stands in Tests

179 for 4th wicket with C.L. Walcott v. Australia at Kingston, 1955
100 for 5th wicket with E.D. Weekes v. England at Lord’s, 1957
446 for 2nd wicket with C.C. Hunte v. Pakistan at Kingston, 1957-8

269 for 2nd wicket with C.L. Walcott v. Pakistan at Georgetown, 1957-8
188* for 4th wicket with C.L. Walcott v. Pakistan at Kingston, 1957-8
135 for 2nd wicket with C.C. Hunte v. Pakistan at Georgetown, 1957-8
101 for 5th wicket with O.G. Smith v. Pakistan at Port of Spain, 1957-8
119 for 4th wicket with O.G. Smith v. India at Bombay, 1958-9
134* for 5th wicket with B.F. Buthcer v. India at Bombay 1958-9
114 for 5th wicket with B.F. Butcher v. India at Kanpur, 1958-9
163 for 6th wicket with J. Solomon v. India at Kanpur, 1958-9
160* for 6th wicket with J. Solomon v. India at Calcutta, 1958-9
162 for 3rd wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. Pakistan at Lahore, 1958-9
399 for 4th wicket with F.M. Worrell v. England at Bridgetown, 1959-60
115 for 3rd wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. England at Georgetown, 1959-60
121 for 5th wicket with F.M. Worrell v. England at Georgetown, 1959-60
133 for 3rd wicket with E. McMorris v. England at Kingston, 1959-60
(McMorris retired hurt and the stand contined with S.M. Nurse for 110 more runs)
174 for 4th wicket with F.M. Worrell v. Australia at Brisbane, 1960-1
128 for 5th wicket with S.M. Nurse v. Australia at Sydney, 1960-1
110 for 6th wicket with F.M. Worrell v. India at Kingston, 1962
127 for 7th wicket with I. Mendonca v. India at Kingston, 1962
120 for 4th wicket with C.C. Hunte v. England at Old Trafford, 1963

The captain must be a good leader. He must know which player to scold and which to encourage. He must involve the other players, listening to them when they offer advice.- Sobers on the attributes which go to make a good captain.

143 for 4th wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. England at Headingley, 1963
160 for 4th wicket with B.F. Butcher v. Australia at Port of Spain, 1965
127 for 6th wicket with D.A.J. Holford v. England at Lord’s, 1966
274* for 6th wicket with D.a.J. Holford v. England at Lord’s, 1966
173 for 5th wicket with B.F. Butcher v. England at Trent Bridge, 1966
265 for 5th wicket with S.M. Nurse v. England at Headingley, 1966
122 for 5th wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. England at The Oval, 1966
102* for 5th wicket with C.H. Lloyd v. India at Bombay, 1966-7
110 for 6th wicket with D.A.J. Holford v. England at Kingston, 1967-8
63* for 9th wicket with W.W. Hall v. England at Port of Spain, 1967-8
250 for 4th wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. England at Georgetown, 1967-8
134 for 5th wicket with S.M. Nurse v. Australia at Melbourne, 1968-9
118 for 6th wicket with S.M. Nurse v. Australia at Sydney, 1968-9
173 for 4th wicket with R.B. Kanhai v. India at Kingston, 1971
170* for 4th wicket with C.A. Davis v. India at Georgetown, 1971
167 for 4th wicket with C.A. Davis v. India at Bridgetown, 1971

We may some day be able to answer Tolstoy’s exasperated and exasperating question: ‘What is art?’, but only when we learn to integrate our vision of Sobers on the back foot through the covers with the outstretched arm of the Olympic Apollo. –C.L.R. James

107* for 6th wicket with J.N. Shepherd v. India at Bridgetown, 1971
177 for 5th wicket with C.A. Davis v. India at Port of Spain, 1971
254 for 6th wicket with C.A. Davis v. New Zealand at Bridgetown 1971-72
155* for 7th wicket with B.D. Julien v. England at Lord’s 1973
(Sobers retired and the stand continued with K.D. Boyce for 76 more runs)
112 for 6th wicket with B.D. Julien v. England at Kingston, 1974

Best Bowling

5 for 120 v. Australia at Melbourne, 1960-1
5 for 63 v. India at Kingston, 1962
5 for 60 v. England at Edgbaston, 1963
5 for 41 v. England at Headingley, 1966
6 for 73 v. Australia at Brisbane, 1968-9
5 for 42 v. England at Headingley, 1969

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