Of Engineer, Sobers, and his hilarious golf advice to Gavaskar

New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) Sir Garfield Sobers' wit was as effortless as his genius with bat and ball. Farokh Engineer recalled one such unforgettable moment on a golf course in Australia when the West Indies legend, watching Sunil Gavaskar repeatedly top the ball, quipped: "This is one game where you are allowed to hit the ball in the air." For Engineer, that sharp humour was inseparable from the man he hailed "the greatest and most complete cricketer" the game has ever seen. "I played golf with him many times. A lovely story about him, me and Sunil Gavaskar playing golf in Australia. "Sunil kept topping the ball and Gary tapped him on the shoulder and said, 'This is one game where you are allowed to hit the ball in the air,'" former India wicketkeeper-batsman Engineer said with a laugh during an exclusive interview with PTI. "I don't think any other, certainly no Indian Test cricketer has been associated so closely with him because he's a bit senior to me. "When I first started playing for the All India Universities against the West Indies, I scored one of my fastest centuries against him. "He was the first to come and shake my hand when I got my hundred against the likes of Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Lance Gibbs and him. But it was Sobers who got me out eventually. He and I had a very close relationship." That friendship continued in county cricket "We played... he and I were both invited by Lancashire. I was invited by four counties. But I chose to play for Lancashire because Gary and I were both invited there. "But Gary and Lancashire couldn't agree to terms," Engineer said. According to Engineer, Sobers was capable of doing virtually everything on a cricket field better than almost anyone else. Sobers, whose remarkable versatility made him a once-in-a-generation cricketer, died on Friday, leaving behind a legacy that has inspired generations of players across the world. "He was the most complete living cricketer of all time until this sad day. The whole cricketing world will mourn a genius," Engineer said from London. "He was a good friend and he'll be very, very sadly missed, not only by the cricketing world but by everyone who knew him. I spoke to Wes Hall a little while ago. I spoke to Mrs Sobers and the mood is very sombre in Barbados. "He was a great human being, an ambassador for Barbados and the greatest, the most complete cricketer the world has produced or I have seen or played against." A left-handed batter, who also could also bowl left-arm pace, wrist spin and orthodox spin, Sobers claimed 235 wickets in Test cricket. He played in a solitary ODI, taking one wicket. He was also a splendid fielder. For Engineer, who kept wickets to Sobers in the World XI and shared countless moments with him on and off the field, there was simply no comparison when it came to the Barbadian's all-round abilities. "He was the best in everything. He could catch better than anyone. He could bowl quick. He could swing the ball better than most. And of course, he could bat. I wouldn't say better than anyone. "There have been a few great batsmen that we have produced like Rohan Kanhai, Graham Pollock, Barry Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, but certainly none like Gary." "I still remember when he scored that big double century in Melbourne, I was the non-striker for quite a while," the former India wicketkeeper recalled. Remembering their days together in the World XI, Engineer said, "We played for the World XI together. We had a very close relationship because I've taken so many catches off his bowling, so many stumpings off his spin bowling, and so many catches together, literally two or three feet from each other as he fielded in leg slip. And all I could say was, 'Great catch, Serbi, keep it up, Serbi.'" Their friendship extended well beyond cricket. "It was absolutely fantastic playing with him and enjoying his company on and off the field. He loved a good party, and so did I. We went to a few good parties together. We brought in quite a few Christmases together. "We have several humorous moments." PTI SR APA APA AH AH