Nottinghamshire are extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, at the age of 89.

Widely regarded as cricket’s greatest ever all-rounder, Sobers amassed 7,041 First-Class runs for Notts – more than he scored for any other domestic team – including 18 centuries.

He also contributed 281 wickets at 25.62 with his mixture of fast-medium pace and canny left-arm spin.

In List A cricket, he hit 2,553 runs and took 103 wickets.

Arriving at Trent Bridge shortly after rules on overseas players appearing in the County Championship were relaxed, Sobers was immediately appointed captain, and lifted Notts from 15th place to fourth in his first summer of English domestic cricket.

That season ended with Sobers becoming the first batsman ever to hit six sixes in a single over of six consecutive balls in First-Class cricket, as he put Glamorgan to the sword at Swansea.

He topped his county’s batting averages in all-but two of his seasons with the club, whilst also remaining the fulcrum of the West Indies Test side, which he captained from 1964 to 1972.

His 365 not out against Pakistan in 1958, his first Test century, remained a world record until Brian Lara struck 375 against England in 1994.

Knighted for services to cricket soon after retiring, Sobers is one of only 11 individuals to have been awarded Barbados’ Order of National Heroes.

He was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1964, recognised as a Cricketer of the Century by the same publication in 2000, and has lent his name to the ICC trophy for the leading men’s cricketer of the year since 2004.