Garfield sobers centuries

A cricketing genius, Garry Sobers excelled at all aspects of the game, and few would argue his standing as the finest all-round player in modern cricket. His exceptional Test batting average tells little about the manner in which he made his runs: he had an elegant yet powerful style and all the shots, and a superb off-side game.

As a batter he was great, as a bowler, merely superb, though he would have made the West Indies side as a bowler alone. He was remarkably versatile with the ball, bowling two styles of spin - left-arm orthodox and wristspin, but he was also a fine fast-medium opening bowler. His catching close to the wicket may have been equalled but never surpassed, and he was a brilliant fielder anywhere.

Sobers was an enterprising captain - at times maybe too enterprising, as when a generous declaration allowed England to win a decisive match in Port-of-Spain.

Born with an extra finger on each hand (removed at birth), Sobers excelled at most athletic activities, playing golf, soccer and basketball for Barbados, made his first-class cricket debut at

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