Sporting Greats
BeagleBoy Published on Mar 29, 2018
Cricket's Sir Garfield Sobers
Sir Garfield Sobers, AO, OCC, is a former cricketer who played for the West Indies between 1954 and 1974, and is widely considered to be cricket's greatest all-rounder.
Gameon1640 Published on Jul 17, 2013
Cricket’s Nelson Mandela
Arguably cricket's greatest statesman. In a game that has produced many statesmen-like figures, that is saying quite a bit. Sir Frank Worrell will always be remembered as the first black captain of the West Indies cricket team. Sir Frank was a man of strong convictions, a brave man, and it goes without saying, a great cricketer. Though he made his name as a player his greatest contribution was to destroy for ever the myth that a coloured cricketer was not fit to lead a team. Once appointed, he ended the cliques and rivalries between the players of various islands to weld together a team which in the space of five years became the champions of the world. He was a man of true political sense and feeling, a federalist who surely would have made even greater contributions to the history of the West Indies had he not died so tragically in hospital of leukaemia at the early age of 42, a month after returning from India. His classic batsmanship was admired by many but more importantly, he saw the many diverse elements of the West Indies as a whole, a common culture and outlook separated only by the Caribbean Sea. He therefore signified West Indian unity like nobody before him. He was a part of the West Indies' legendary trinity of "Ws". While Walcott bludgeoned the bowlers and Weekes dominated them, the stylist Worrell waved them away.
There was none of the savage aggression of a Sobers in his batting. He was the artist. All three "Ws" were geniuses but Worrell had the most style and elegance. He had all the strokes and the time and capacity to use them without offence to the eye, without ever being hurried. He was never seen playing across the line. That is why he never hooked. Players and pressmen agreed that even when he ducked beneath a bouncer, he did so with a lack of panic and great dignity. And remember he had Lindwall and Miller to contend with. This is a tribute to the brilliant statesman and sportsperson. DISCLAIMER: I do not own this video. All rights reserved to the respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.