Why does This Legendary All-Rounder Stand Out Among MS Dhoni And Sachin Tendulkar On The List? The Only 'Black Spot' In Sir Garfield Sobers' Career

Cricket News: On September 5, 1973, barely two years before the inaugural cricket World Cup began in 1975, one of the greatest all-rounders in history, Sir Garfield Sobers, made his ODI debut for the West Indies. It was both his first and last ODI that he ever played, although if you ask him, he would want to forget it because it was a low point in his otherwise stellar cricket career. Even if it were possible, Sober would undoubtedly use a time machine to travel back in time and attempt to delete the numbers—6 balls for a duck.

Sobers had played only a single one-day international, against England at Leeds in 1973, the eighth such match ever staged. You might have given it some thought before devising its details because the game has a certain novelistic symmetry and irony to it. The great all-rounder, who many would argue was crafted for the format and all of its offspring, made a duck, took one wicket, and delivered the final over in which the winning runs were scored. The game wasn't a great one, reflecting the fact that no-one really knew what the format was or what it might become. It was a 55-over affair. The West Indies batted first and were all out for 181 from 54. Sobers was caught by Bob Taylor from the bowling of Chris Old for a six-ball duck. England had reached 157 for 5 when Sobers bowled Old, returning the favor and completing the circle. In contrast, the legend didn't come close to matching his ODI record in any way, scoring 8032 runs in 93 Tests at an average of 57.78, taking 235 wickets, and having 26 centuries.

With the last pair in the crease and four needed, they stumbled into the final over. Bob Willis was on strike; Sobers was about to bowl. From the first delivery, Willis blasted Sobers back over his head for two runs before squeezing the next through the third man to secure the victory. Then it was over. On the same day that his ODI career began and concluded, Sobers finished with more wickets than runs.There were 249 players who scored a duck in their first ODI overall. Even though MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar are on the list, Sobers' innings stand out because he never again participated in ODI matches.