Garfield Sobers: West Indies cricket great dies aged 89

• Sir Garfield Sobers, who has died aged 89, is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most complete cricketers of all time, excelling as a batsman, bowler, and fielder.
• Nicknamed 'King Cricket', he was recognised by Wisden as a Leading Cricketer of the Year eight times, second only to Sir Donald Bradman, who called him 'the greatest all-round cricketer I ever saw'.
• Sobers set a Test record in 1958 with an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan and became the first player in first-class cricket to hit six sixes in a single over a decade later.
• His extraordinary versatility saw him debut as a left-arm spinner, later bowl as a left-arm leg-spinner and swing bowler, and achieve a batting average of 57.78 in Tests, among the highest for players with over 5,000 runs.
• Born in Barbados, Sobers overcame personal tragedy and played a pivotal role in West Indies cricket, with his dynamic style and all-round prowess making him a dominant force throughout his career until 1974.

IN FULL

Sir Garfield Sobers, great West Indies all-rounder, dies aged 89