Tony Becca - FROM THE BOUNDARY AS A batsman who paraded so many brilliant strokes while scoring so many runs, as a bowler, fast or slow, who did so many things with the ball while taking so many wickets, and as a fielder who took so many fantastic catches, Sir Garfield Sobers, the greatest cricketer of all time, is accustomed to cheers and to applause ringing in his ears.
The first time he was cheered as a selector, however, was last Tuesday upstairs the Kingston Cricket Club pavilion at Sabina Park, and as was the case during his days in the sun, he deserved every clap.
Asked to select the five greatest Jamaica cricketers in the past 75 years, the 'Great One' rattled off the names of George Headley, Courtney Walsh, Michael Holding, Lawrence Rowe and Alfred Valentine, and each one was greeted with cheers of approval.
There was not even one shake of a head, one look of disapproval, not even a murmur from a room full of cricket fans, and apart from fully accepting Sobers' choices as gospel, remembering the number of outstanding players produced by Jamaica, that was a testimony to the greatness of all five players.
TESTIMONY
It was testimony to the greatness of Headley the batsman who scored 2,190 runs and 10 centuries in 22 Test matches at an average of 60.83, who scored a century on debut, who scored four centuries in his debut series against England in 1930, and who scored two centuries in a Test match on two occasions.
It was also testimony to Walsh the fast bowler who, with 519 wickets, is the world record holder; of Holding the fast bowler who took 249 wickets; of Rowe the batsman who scored 214 and 100 not on his debut and 302 in one innings; and of Valentine the left-arm spinner who took eight wickets the first eight in his first Test innings, who took 33 wickets in one series his first, and 139 in 36 Test matches.
In naming his top five, however, Sobers also paid tribute to other outstanding Jamaican cricketers and, in saluting Headley, Walsh, Holding, Rowe and Valentine, in remembering that Jamaicans will be voting for their top five, this is a good time to remember those who, even though he mentioned some of them, Sobers did not select but who contributed to the greatness of Jamaica and West Indies cricket.
Frank Martin the left-handed opening batsman who scored a century against Australia in 1930-31, is one of them; Hines Johnson the fast bowler who took 13 wickets in three Test matches including five for 41 at Sabina Park versus England in 1948, is one of them.
CENTURIES
Also, Allan Rae the left-handed opening batsman who scored two centuries against England in 1950, is one of them; Roy Gilchrist the fast bowler who took 57 wickets in 13 Test matches, is one of them; two of them were wicketkeepers Gerry Alexander and Jackie Hendriks the one who Sobers described on Tuesday as probably the best wicketkeeper he has ever seen.
Patrick Patterson the fast bowler who was very fast, is one of them; and, of course, there are Easton McMorris and Maurice Foster who, although they were not as successful as West Indies cricketers, were the pillars of Jamaica's batting in their time.
Of those who Sobers did not choose, there are two who are certain to turn up in the vote. One is Collie Smith, and one is Jeffrey Dujon.
Before his tragic death at age 26, Smith, a brilliant fielder and a useful offspinner, scored a century against Australia on debut, scored two brilliant centuries against England and promised to achieve greatness, and in a career during which he took 267 catches including some fantastic ones, made five stumpings and scored 3,322 runs, including five centuries, in 81 Test matches, Dujon was brilliant.
