Sir Garfield Sobers interview: West Indies legend on short-pitch bowling, Chris Gayle and the current team’s World Cup chances
The sport may have evolved since he retired 45 years ago and he may have only played a single one-day international, but Sir Garfield Sobers still knows a thing or two about cricket.
The West Indies legend, who played 93 Test matches between 1954 and 1974, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78 and taking 235 wickets at 34.03 to establish himself as one of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen, remains a sharp and interested spectator of the modern game.
“There’s no difference in this cricket and my cricket,” the 82-year-old tells City PM “If you have the ability it doesn’t make any difference.”
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With his beloved West Indies playing England tomorrow in Southampton it is the perfect time to pick the Barbadian’s brains.
Jason Holder’s side have had a mixed start to the World Cup, thrashing Pakistan and letting a brilliant start slip in defeat by Australia before being frustrated by the weather in a wash-out with struggling South Africa.
But after years in the doldrums, Sobers has been encouraged by what he’s seen and believes a third World Cup, after triumphs in 1975 and 1979, could be on the cards.
“They had a bad patch a few years back but they seem to have recovered and seem to be going very well,” he says. “I have no hesitation in thinking that they’ll probably be up there when the bell is rung at the last few games. However, cricket is such a game of glorious uncertainty that you can never say you’re going to win until you win.”
Short ball barrage
West Indies’ success in this tournament has come from their aggressive bowling attack, which blew away Pakistan for 105 at Trent Bridge and reduced Australia to 79-5. The short-ball barrage, led by Oshane Thomas and Andre Russell, looks like a concerted plan and, although England will be expecting it, Sobers thinks they should stick to their guns.
“If you’re doing well with that kind of thing then why not continue? Why change and try something else?” he says. “But you’ve also got to remember that the other team is going to see that and they’re going to find some way of trying to deal with it. They will get their plans together and practise and if it comes off they’ll have a good game.”
The biggest weapon in West Indies’ armoury remains powerful opener Chris Gayle. Having famously become the first player to hit six sixes in an over when playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in 1968, Sobers is understandably drawn to Gayle’s unique style.
“He can have his odd failure, but he’s the type of player that when he gets going anything can happen,” he adds. “I think the players who play with him, especially the younger ones, have learned that Chris is that kind of player. He can swing a game. If he gets on top of the bowling then you don’t have a lot to worry about.”
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Having held England to a 2-2 draw in their five-match one-day series in February, West Indies know they have the personnel and firepower to trouble them at the Rose Bowl. And while today’s contest might be too close to call, Sobers thinks England could go all the way and secure their first World Cup.
“I’ve watched them a lot and they’re one of the teams I’ve always figured would have a very good chance,” he says. “I think they’ve got the players, they’re good enough, they’re playing at home, which gives them a little edge, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they won.”
The Barbados cricket legends are touring to support Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., promoting travel to Barbados to enjoy its rich cricket heritage, which includes the famous Kensington Oval, The Cricket Legends of Barbados Museum and Sir Garfield Sobers’ International Schools Cricket Tournament in July. For more information please visit: www.visitbarbados.org