19 July,2026 07:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell (extreme left), Sir Garry Sobers (leaning on plaque), Asif Iqbal (centre back), Ravi Shastri, and Tony Greig (extreme right) at a cricket memorabilia auction in Mumbai on May 16, 1997. Pic/AFP
Sir Garfield Sobers is the best batsman I've ever seen and that's not taking into account all the other amazing skills he possessed on the cricket field.
He could take the new ball as a genuine swing bowler at a lively pace and then send down either wrist or finger spin. He was a terrific fielder either catching in the close cordon either side of the wicket and he was just as likely to produce a direct hit with a throw on the rare occasions he occupied an in-field position.
As an 18-year-old kid I had the wonderful experience of watching and learning from the best cricketer in the game (in the South Australia (SA) team).
In 1963-64, SA played against the touring South African side at the Adelaide Oval. It was the dark days of apartheid in the Republic. Garry used to bat at four for SA and when Les entered the dressing room after the toss Garry asked; "Okay if I bat in the West Indies cap today skip?" Now Les was a stickler for players wearing the SA cap. I was interested in Favell's response to Garry's request. After a few moments of thought Les said, "That's fine by me Sobey."
Garry's reaction was to smash the South African attack all over the park in making 155.
Throughout his magnificent knock he wore the West Indies cap proudly. I always wondered about that episode because Garry was a man without prejudice.
In 1991 Channel Nine was in the Caribbean covering the series between Australia and the West Indies. I caught up with Garry in Barbados. After a couple of Banks beers I asked Garry; "Sobey, do you remember when you asked Les if you could wear the West Indies cap in the game against South Africa?"
"Yes," he replied. "Why did you do that?" I responded. "Well Ian," he said, picking up his drink and taking a sip before he went on, "at that stage the South Africans hadn't seen a West Indies cap and I thought it was time they had a good long look at one." Pure Sobers, not only a genius on the field.
In 1971-72 he captained the Rest of the World (RoW) team that played a series against Australia.
Dennis Lillee had ripped through the much-vaunted RoW batting line-up in the second international at the WACA ground. Lillee had 2-29 off five overs when he told me; "I'm stuffed mate, I can't bowl another over."
I talked him into bowling another over because our only other quickie Graham McKenzie wasn't ready to swap ends. When the RoW was bowled out for 59, Dennis had finished figures of 8-29 off 7.1 overs.
Sobers was one of his victims, caught by Rod Marsh for a duck. Dennis then got him first ball for a duck with a bouncer in the first innings of the next match at the MCG. With Australia having won the Perth match to take a 1-0 advantage and then leading by a hundred on the first innings in Melbourne, the credibility of the series was hanging by a thread.
That night in the dressing rooms Garry walked over to Dennis carrying a glass of beer; "Well bowled son," he said clinking glasses with Lillee, "but just remember. I can bowl bouncers too and I bat better than you."
The next time the two teams gathered for a drink in the dressing rooms Garry was 130 not out. As I entered their room Garry called me over. He nodded to the empty seat next to him and said, "Ian, Prue's left me."
Prue was Garry's Australian wife. Taking a sip from my glass I replied; "Well Garry, if that's what's pissing you off give me her number and I'll call her and tell her to come home immediately."
It's funny how cricketers resort to black humour in times of stress. It didn't work on Sobers. He finished with 254, the RoW won the match and Sir Donald Bradman described Garry's innings as one of the best he'd ever seen.
In 2009 I was in the UK for the T20 World Cup. After a Day-Night encounter we adjourned to an Indian restaurant where a friend of Sunny's [Gavaskar] was holding a party. Sunny's friend, Nat Puri is a successful businessman and the President of Nottinghamshire CCC. Notts is where Sobers played for many years [1968 to 1974]. During the evening we talked a lot about Garry and at around 1.30 am Nat had the bright idea to ring him in his London Hotel. "But Nat," said Sunny, "it's late. Garry mightn't appreciate the call."
Nat, who was enjoying himself immensely waved away the objections and called Garry. Sobey received the call in reasonably good humour considering the hour and after we hung up, everyone remarked on how good it was to chat with "our old mate."
"Ah yes," said Farokh with a distant look in his eyes. "What about that magnificent 254 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground? Did you see that innings, Ian?" "F''' off Farokh," I exploded, "I was the opposing captain. Obviously my captaincy left a lasting impression on you."
A champion who was best summed up by probably the next best all-rounder, Keith Miller. Keith was sitting watching the cricket on television with his son Denis one day. When some statistics came on the screen a commentator said; "There's Bradman, the greatest cricketer of all time."
Keith leapt off the couch; "Greatest batsman of all time Bradman. Greatest cricketer of all time Sobers."
Extracted from Chappelli - Life, Larrikins & Cricket, published by Ebury Press (2012) with permission from Ian Chappell
