Garry Sobers - Bowling Style

[simsanta123]

A versatile bowler capable of bowling left arm medium fast, left arm spin and chinaman, this is the definition of his bowling style wherever I have read. Do any of you know which type of bowling he did mostly? (I need to enter this info in a sim, but I don't know which bowling type to enter)

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Most of his career it was spin I believe, orthodox with some unorthodox later, due to the strength of WI's pace attack.

 

[War]

During his all-rounder peak from 1961-1970. He bowled his left-arm pace the most. Many times in the he even opened in the Windies side 4-man attack of Hall/Sobers/Griffith/Gibbs. The great opener Geoff Boycott was troubled alot by his inswing.

His left-arm orthodox was the second most used (see his bowling in India 1966/67 & 4th innings @ MCG 1961) & he would bowl hsi left-arm chinaman occasionally.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

The rise of Sobers has been phenomenal. When he began his Test career ten years ago he gained his place solely on his merit as a left-arm slow bowler. Next he developed his batting and soon opened the innings against Australia. Then he tried his hand at fast bowling and became deadly with the new ball.

Later he realised that the hard pitches in India were better suited to disguised spin in the shape of the chinaman and googly which he successfully exploits so that now at the age of twenty-seven he can claim to be the most complete and best all-rounder in present day cricket. And, of course, like all really great cricketers he is a magnificent fielder in any position and particularly in the slips where he brings off amazing catches.

Wisden - Garry Sobers

So yea. Spin was his primary bowling style but he was more effective as a quick bowler. Take your pick.

 

[sifter132]

From what I've read he didn't bowl pace until 60/61 when WI had quite a few spinners in the frame: Valentine, Ramadhin and Lance Gibbs. He started practising bowling pace in England in the Lancashire League in the late 50s, partly because the pitches suited swing bowling better than spin. So from 60/61 on he bowled mostly pace in Tests, but would switch to spin if team needed an extra spin option or the pitch was better for spinners.

 

[simsanta123]

Thanks for all the help guys. Really, I wonder if there is anything Sobers couldn't do! Maybe wicketkeeping..but who knows?

 

[Shoaib87]

One of the most worst bowlers ever.No offence guys coz his record is a big evidence of this.He bowled only orthodox for first 30 tests in which he took 31 wickets @ 50.Later he became a mediocre medium bowler but was never a good quality bowler.And he bowled chinamen only for 4 or 5 tests.Being able to bowl 3 styles crapily is no achievment.Anyone who thinks he was a brilliant bowler needs to get a life!But yes there is no doubt he's one the greatest batsmen ever.

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During his all-rounder peak from 1961-1970. He bowled his left-arm pace the most. Many times in the he even opened in the Windies side 4-man attack of Hall/Sobers/Griffith/Gibbs. The great opener Geoff Boycott was troubled alot by his inswing.

His left-arm orthodox was the second most used (see his bowling in India 1966/67 & 4th innings @ MCG 1961) & he would bowl hsi left-arm chinaman occasionally.

On those merits,Mohammad Sami & Ajit Agarkar must be one of the greatest ever?

 

[sami ullah khan]

Please refrain from mentioning Muhammad Sami. One of our dumb selectors may read his name and select him again.

 

[sifter132]

One of the most worst bowlers ever.No offence guys coz his record is a big evidence of this.He bowled only orthodox for first 30 tests in which he took 31 wickets @ 50.Later he became a mediocre medium bowler but was never a good quality bowler.And he bowled chinamen only for 4 or 5 tests.Being able to bowl 3 styles crapily is no achievment.Anyone who thinks he was a brilliant bowler needs to get a life!But yes there is no doubt he's one the greatest batsmen ever.

Hmm, well I don't think I'd go THAT far, but I will agree that his bowling seems a bit overrated by the average Joe. Was a GREAT batsman as you say, but his bowling was merely useful rather than good as I see it - much like Jacques Kallis in that way.

And yes I share your scepticism of guys getting lauded for bowling in multiple styles. As an aussie fan we had to put up with Andrew Symonds being lauded for his bowling way more than he deserved just because he could bowl in 2 ways.

 

[War]

One of the most worst bowlers ever.No offence guys coz his record is a big evidence of this.He bowled only orthodox for first 30 tests in which he took 31 wickets @ 50.Later he became a mediocre medium bowler but was never a good quality bowler.And he bowled chinamen only for 4 or 5 tests.Being able to bowl 3 styles crapily is no achievment.Anyone who thinks he was a brilliant bowler needs to get a life!But yes there is no doubt he's one the greatest batsmen ever.

Ha i see you have continued this drivel about Sobers bowling from this thread.

http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/cricket-discussion/greatest-all-rounder-since-sobers-71623-6.html

[/COLOR]On those merits,Mohammad Sami & Ajit Agarkar must be one of the greatest ever?

Excuse me, what?

 

[angryangy]

Thanks for all the help guys. Really, I wonder if there is anything Sobers couldn't do! Maybe wicketkeeping..but who knows?

While at times he might have been one of the top bowlers in the world, he was long regarded as the best fielder in the world, the only possible exceptions being players who were great in their specialist positions, such as Bob Simpson at 1st slip or Ekki Solkar at forward short leg.

So it's a little funny that his bowling is better remembered than his fielding. He was a natural athlete and probably could have worn the gloves temporarily just as Dwayne Bravo has done in contemporary times.

 

[Dare]

One of the most worst bowlers ever.No offence guys coz his record is a big evidence of this.He bowled only orthodox for first 30 tests in which he took 31 wickets @ 50.Later he became a mediocre medium bowler but was never a good quality bowler.And he bowled chinamen only for 4 or 5 tests.Being able to bowl 3 styles crapily is no achievment.Anyone who thinks he was a brilliant bowler needs to get a life!But yes there is no doubt he's one the greatest batsmen ever.

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On those merits,Mohammad Sami & Ajit Agarkar must be one of the greatest ever?

O then we have this guy. We know its your opinion but Id rather take the opinion of his peers and cricket experts.

 

[Shoaib87]

Ha i see you have continued this drivel about Sobers bowling from this thread.

http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/cricket-discussion/greatest-all-rounder-since-sobers-71623-6.html

Whether you like it or not,Sobers was hardly a good bowler.

Excuse me, what?

Sami also bowled with Waqar,Akhtar etc.Does that mean he's a good bowler?

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O then we have this guy. We know its your opinion but Id rather take the opinion of his peers and cricket experts.

So called "Experts" can be biased but same doesn't hold true for stats,when analyzed properly.

 

[War]

Whether you like it or not,Sobers was hardly a good bowler.



Sami also bowled with Waqar,Akhtar etc.Does that mean he's a good bowler?

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So called "Experts" can be biased but same doesn't hold true for stats,when analyzed properly.

We had this discussion before in the other thread, where i fundamentally shot down your jaw-dropping synopsis of the great Gary Sobers & you never responded sir. So i suggest you go back to that thread & lets continue the discussion, instead of this thread.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Yeah Shoaib, War's got some unfinished business. He wants to take this outside

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Back on topic, I agree completely with Jason. On my personal list, I consider Sobers to be the greatest left-handed batsman of all-time, and 5th overall. Add on top of that his excellent fielding, Sobers was the complete package.

His bowling was just something extra. That's why I consider Kallis to be the closest to what Sobers was.