35 Facts About Garry Sobers

1. Garry Sobers received 90 votes out of a possible 100.

2. In 2000 Garry Sobers was named by a 100-member panel of experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.

3. Garry Sobers coached internationally, having a one-time stint with Sri Lanka.

4. Garry Sobers was made a National Hero of Barbados by the Cabinet of Barbados in 1998 and is thus accorded the honorary prefix "The Right Excellent".

5. Garry Sobers was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1975 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while attending a reception at the Barbados High Commission in London to celebrate his recent knighthood.

6. Garry Sobers is the author of a children's novel about cricket, Bonaventure and the Flashing Blade, in which computer analysis helps a university cricket team become unbeatable.

7. Garry Sobers was playing as captain of Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan at St Helen's in Swansea; the unfortunate bowler was Malcolm Nash.

8. On 31 August 1968, Garry Sobers became the first batsman ever to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in first-class cricket.

9. Garry Sobers made his first appearance in the inaugural season of the new Shell Shield competition in February 1966.

10. Garry Sobers gives an insight into the life of the club professional in his autobiography.

11. Garry Sobers was driving a car in which Smith and another West Indian Test player Tom Dewdney were passengers.

12. Garry Sobers was invited to captain the Rest of the World in both series.

13. Garry Sobers played his last Test in March 1974 at Queen's Park Oval against England.

14. Garry Sobers enjoyed spectacular success in England in 1966 and was widely acclaimed as "King Cricket".

15. Garry Sobers scored a celebrated 132 on the first day of the First Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, the match which resulted in the first Tied Test.

16. Garry Sobers had reached double figures in 18 of his 22 Test innings, although his highest score was still only 66.

17. At this stage of his career, Garry Sobers had frustrated his admirers by failing to convert good starts into high scores.

18. Garry Sobers undoubtedly was a very fine stroke-player who should go far".

19. Garry Sobers was sent home from New Zealand early to play an unofficial Test match against an England team that included feared fast-bowler Frank Tyson.

20. Garry Sobers went on his first overseas tour in the early months of 1956 when, aged 19, he was part of the West Indian tour of New Zealand.

21. The match was drawn, and Garry Sobers took one wicket in the Australians' only innings, before scoring 11 in the West Indies second innings.

22. Garry Sobers was given a further opportunity in the next Test in Georgetown, Guyana in South America.

23. Garry Sobers was barely used with the ball, bowling three overs for ten runs, as Australia amassed a first-innings total of over 600.

24. The match was a high-scoring draw, with Garry Sobers scoring 47 and eight not out.

25. Garry Sobers was not selected for the First Test, which the West Indies lost by nine wickets.

26. Garry Sobers was selected as a bowler, despite only mediocre performances against England for Barbados.

27. Garry Sobers had progressed quickly and made his Test debut in March 1954, aged 17, against England at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica for the Fifth and final Test, after Alf Valentine had fallen ill.

28. Garry Sobers had shown enough talent in these two matches to be selected for West Indies and his third first-class appearance was his Test debut.

29. Garry Sobers batted at number five against Marylebone Cricket Club, scoring 46 and 27; and took two wickets in the match.

30. Garry Sobers gained useful experience by bowling to Wanderers batsmen, including West Indies Test player Denis Atkinson, at practice in the nets and soon developed his great skill as a left arm spin bowler.

31. Garry Sobers became a dual Barbadian-Australian citizen through marriage in 1980.

32. Garry Sobers was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his services to cricket.

33. Garry Sobers has the fourth highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of cricketers with more than 5,000 runs.

34. Garry Sobers would captain a Rest of the World XI during their 1970 tour of England.

35. Garry Sobers was made captain of the West Indies in 1965, a role which he would hold until 1972.