IN 1994, I had the privilege of representing the Mashonaland Districts team at the Birmingham International Golden Oldies Cricket Festival.
During the tournament, I was selected to represent our team at a special function hosted by the Barbados Golden Oldies Cricket Association. The guest of honour was the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers, who was serving as the Association’s ambassador. He was accompanied by young Norman Holder from Barbados. The purpose of the event was to invite participating teams to attend the following year’s Golden Oldies Cricket Festival in Bridgetown, Barbados.
After the formal proceedings, we had the opportunity to mingle with Sir Garfield Sobers. I found him to be an exceptionally warm, humble and accommodating gentleman, with absolutely no airs or pretensions despite being one of cricket’s greatest icons.
One moment that has stayed with me over the years was when I asked him to sign an autograph for my son. With his trademark smile and wonderful sense of humour, he jokingly remarked that he was relieved people still remembered him. He happily signed the autograph, leaving me with a treasured memory of a truly great cricketer and an even greater human being.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
