Barbados and the cricketing world bid farewell to Sir Garfield Sobers

With heavy hearts Barbados and the cricketing world bid farewell to the greatest player to ever grace the sport as the late Right Excellent Sir Garfield St Auburn Sobers was given a state funeral at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Under blue skies, the legendary all-rounder, who was buried one day after what would have been his 90th birthday, was also given a procession which began at Lyndhurst Funeral Home and concluded at the Mecca. Stopping first at Parliament Buildings before making its way along Broad Street and Cheapside, there was a pause at the Harold Hoyte and Fred Gollop Media Complex in Fontabelle where Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and members of the Cabinet joined the parade.

A stone’s throw way in front of Cricket Legends of Barbados Sir Garry’s children – Matthew, Daniel and Genevieve Sobers – and other members of the family, took their place in the procession just behind their father.

Brian Lara was one of many to administer praise and express admiration for the legendary all-rounder who played 93 Test matches for West Indies between 1954 and 1974, scoring 8 032 runs at an average of 57.78 and taking 235 wickets at an average of 34.03.

Speaking about his mentor, the Trinidadian left-handed batsman said “For me, Sir Garry was not just a West Indian sporting hero whose records inspired me and millions of sportsmen and sportswomen. He became a personal mentor, a friend, and someone whose belief in me shaped my own journey. I was fortunate enough to break one of his records, but that’s where the similarities ended. He was so much more. A lot of the disciplines that make up the game of cricket, that 99 per cent of us cricketers did not consider part of our DNA, Sir Garfield Sobers did it with ease and grace. No one did it better.”

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Lara, who would break his world record for the highest individual test score (365 not out against Pakistan in 1958) when he hit 375 against England in 1994, reminded the audience that it was important to celebrate his life and legacy.

He continued, “This is not a sad moment. This is a moment for us to celebrate, and I hope you feel the same. Today we celebrate the remarkable life of the greatest all-rounder cricketer. We celebrate a man who gave so much to his family, to Barbados, to the West Indies and all of us who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Lara was one of many high-profile former West Indian legends spanning several generations to say farewell to Sir Garry. Former West Indies captains Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Vivian Richards were joined by Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Andy Roberts, The Most Honourable Joel Garner as well as the most devastating opening partnership in test cricket in Sir Gordon Greenidge and The Most Honourable Desmond Haynes.

Modern-day cricketing heroes such as former Barbados and West Indies captain Jason Holder and West Indies T20 World Cup winner Carlos Brathwaite were joined by the Barbadian contingent who flew home from Trinidad after concluding their 90-run victory over Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Tuesday. Test captain Roston Chase, vice captain Jomel Warrican, Shai Hope, Kemar Roach, Justin Greaves, Joshua Bishop were all present to pay their respects to the icon.

Sir Garfield Sobers was laid to rest at Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens. (JC)

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