Famous Cricketers No 42 - Gary Sobers

297. WEST INDIES v INDIA, Georgetown, March 19, 20, 21, 23, 24 (Match drawn) c S.Venkataraghavan b B.S.Bedi 4 363 43 15 72 3 S.M.Gavaskar c M.C.Carew 376 A.L.Wadekar b A.S.Durani lbw not out 108 307/3d 5 1 14 0 123/0 298. Barbados v Indians, Bridgetown, March 27, 28, 29, 30 (Barbados won by nine wickets) b D.Govindraj 135 449 6 1 23 0 185 did not bat - 52/1 22 8 29 3 K.Jayantilal lbw 313 S.Abid Ali lbw D.Govindraj c V.A.Holder 299. WEST INDIES v INDIA, Bridgetown, April 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 (Match drawn) not out 178 501/5d 20 9 34 2 A.L.Wadekar c D.M.Lewis 347 G.R.Viswanath c D.M.Lewis c B.S.Bedi b S.Abid Ali 9 180/6d 23 8 31 2 A.L.Wadekar c C.H.Lloyd 221/5 G.R.Viswanath c J.N.Shepherd 300. WEST INDIES v INDIA, Port-of-Spain, April 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 (Match drawn) b E.A.S.Prasanna 132 526 13 3 30 1 S.Abid Ali c C.A.Davis 360 1 b S.Abid Ali 0 165/8 43 15 83 2 S.Abid Ali lbw 427 2 G.R.Viswanath b SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Tests 5 10 2 597 178* 74.02 3 1 4 Shell Shield 3 4 1 157 76 52.33 - 1 2 Other matches 1 1 0 135 135 135.00 1 - - Season 9 15 3 889 178* 74.08 4 2 5 Career 300 475 72 23230 365* 57.64 73 98 324 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Tests 220 71 402 12 3/72 33.50 - - Shell Shield 84.3 31 172 10 5/44 17.20 1 - Other matches 28 9 52 3 3/29 17.33 - - Season (6-ball) 332.3 111 626 25 5/44 25.04 1 - Career (6-ball) 7302 2074 } 23871 875 9/49 27.28 34 1 (8-ball) 1792.2 236 1971 It speaks volumes for Gary’s brilliance that his performance with Nottinghamshire this summer should have been universally dismissed as ‘disappointing’. The reporter for Wisden thought that he often looked ‘stale’, which was ‘particularly noticeable in his bowling’. But Sobers did in fact register almost 1,500 runs and more than 50 wickets in 23 county matches and was still one of the most formidable all-rounders on the circuit. In addition to his three centuries he played a number of splendid innings, including a sparkling 89 not out to lead Nottinghamshire to their victory over Warwickshire in August. No less exciting was his 49 not out (with 10 fours) in the win against Leicestershire in June. Against Surrey at the end of May, Sobers entertained the spectators at Trent Bridge with a dazzling display of strokes that produced no fewer than 16 fours in 160 minutes. His 112 accounted for almost 62% of the runs that emanated from the bat in that innings. His best day with the ball came at Hampshire’s expense early in the season. He and Stead (5/37) dismissed that county for 51 runs in just under 28 overs on a rain affected pitch. The captain conceded only 11 runs from his 14 overs and was virtually unplayable. Against Lancashire at Old Trafford in July, Sobers became only the second West Indian (after S.G.Smith) to capture 900 first-class wickets when he had Ken Snellgrove caught by David Pullan for 59. 57