Gary Sobers, was born in Barbados in 1936 as the fifth of six children. As a child he and his brother Gerald used their cricketing talent to help their boys’ school team to win the Inter-school Cricket championship for three consecutive years.

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This cricketing gift was to take him to international fame and renown.  From the age of 13 to 17 he was regularly playing cricket for senior sides in Barbados. By the age of 16 he had been selected from the national trials to play first-class cricket in the 1952-1953 season against India. His international debut came in March 1954 when he played in the Barbadian team in Jamaica against the touring English team. Sobers was athletically talented and played football, golf and basketball for Barbados.

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It was a Caribbean reaction to the separatism of leisure activities that led to the creation of many local West Indian Cricket teams and social clubs throughout the various countries of the area. Sobers, like many before and after him used their Caribbean style and flair as a fluent means of expression in the arena of sport. Because of the ability to be both athletic and creatively artistic cricket has always been a particularly popular West Indian pastime.

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His cricketing prowess was recognised worldwide in a short time and in 1964 he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year, this was followed in 1966 by Sobers being awarded a BBC sports Personality of the Year award for the overseas category. Within two years he was playing county cricket in England for Nottinghamshire. He was also captain of the Nottinghamshire County Cricket team between 1968 and 1973. Playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at Swansea in 1968, he became the first cricketer to score a record 36 runs in one (six-ball) over.

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He played first-class test cricket for over 20 years. He established many records as a batsman – several of which still stand. In the 1957-1958 season he created a record by scoring 365 runs, not out, in a single innings, this record stood until 1994 when Brian Lara, successive captain of the West Indies cricket team, scored 375. Sobers was also outstanding as a bowler – bowling in every style - and all-round fielder. Many cricketing authorities have referred to him as the most gifted all-rounder player of all time.

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In 1969 Garfield attempted to integrate apartheid countries into the sporting globe by coaching Black youths and playing cricket in Zimbabwe (previously known as Rhodesia). He was severely censured for his actions - mainly in the West Indies. He apologised and, quite significantly it can be seen that many players, including West Indians, followed his example doing the same thing in South Africa before apartheid had ended.

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Sobers was captain of many cricket teams: the West Indies Cricket team 39 times between 1965 and 1972; Barbados team in 1966 and 1967; the Rest of the World team for two tours. He also played cricket in Australia for three seasons. When he retired from test cricket in 1974 he held the record for the most runs in test cricket.

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An avid proponent of the game Sobers has written several factual books about cricket e.g. King Cricket (1967), Sobers: the changing face of cricket (1996), Sobers: twenty years at the top (1988). He has also written a children’s novel about cricket: Bonaventure and the Flashing Blade (1967). He published his autobiography in 2002. His national and international popularity has resulted in Sobers appeared in several films produced since 1969 as himself or as a cricketer.

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Gary Sobers was awarded a knighthood in 1975 for his outstanding contribution and services to international cricket. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Nottingham in 1988. Sobers was named a National Hero of Barbados in 1988 (an occasion that required an Act of Parliament) and in 2000 he was named as one of the five cricketers of the century by Wisden.

Sir Garfield Sobers in 2012

Statue of Gary Sobers outside Kensington Oval,

Bridgetown, Barbados