Cricketers today are more into money, says Sobers

[mastana]

Cricketers today are more into money, says Sobers

Renowned for his swashbuckling style of cricket, which made him a legend among cricket fans the world over and the West Indian cricket team a force to reckon with, Sir Garfield 'Garry' Sobers feels that cricket, for him, has always been "beyond any definable boundaries". "However, cricketers these days are definitely more into the money rather than the game. The raw passion associated with playing the game is something that has lost its sheen in recent years," he says. "For me, cricket has always been about being in the thick of things rather than standing in a corner watching someone else in the middle of the action. Be it any department of the game, I was enthusiastic about giving my best," he says. In the city to felicitate the Pratapgad Warriors team of the Maharashtra Premier League, Sobers, who was at his candid best, also spoke about the changing face of the game in modern times. Big money is also one of the reasons why West Indies cricket is in such bad shape today. Often ,players wait for the best of facilities and gear and for someone to come and escort them to the ground to play, he said. "What cricket today needs is the rare fervour that players had in them earlier on. The ability to just get up and get on the field and start playing, no questions asked. That is what cricket needs today, in all the formats of the game." "With the introduction of limited overs cricket, the game itself has undergone a sea change. Batsmen have to score at a quicker pace, bowlers have to take wickets on a quicker basis and the whole game has progressed. However, it is ironic to notice that when Test cricket comes into the picture, the scoring rates plummet. More sixes were hit in Test cricket while I was playing than now," he reminisced. Sobers, who hit six sixes in an over by Malcolm Nash, feels the feat overshadows his other achievements. "The thought of hitting six sixes came only after I had hit the fifth one. It was only then that I decided that no matter where Nash bowled, the last ball too would disappear over the ropes," he said. Sobers, however, is a tad disappointed that people do not remember his other achievements. "People do not really remember any of my other achievements but my six sixes. I am inclined to believe that hitting a lot of sixes is not very good for cricket," he said on a lighter note. Sobers added that the techniques as well as the fact that players use heavier bats these days ensure that they do not have to move a lot to hit the ball effortlessly. "It's like, the bats are heavier now, boundaries shorter, and newer techniques which have contributed to the acceleration of the game," he signed off. Rohan Swamy

http://cricket.yahoo.com/cricket/news/article?id=item/2.0/-/story/cricket.yahoonews.com/cricketers-today-are-more-into-money-says-sobers-20100315/

[IKnowU]

Orlly?? :omg:

[mastana]

Orlly?? :omg:

Was he in the Kerry Packer league? :giggle:

[azanian]

I remember that almost the entire West Indian team toured South Africa in the 80's when apartheid was at it's most cruel and evil era. The West Indians enriched themselves with the apartheid era blood money. The West Indians did not give a damn that their black brothers were being oppressed. Money meant everything to those low life cretins The very same Sobers was so silent then

[Serani]

You do realise a number of those that went on the tour got outcast from society and some even had to move country to escape the shame. It wasnt the whole West Indies team, it was a team of west indians.

[Guest Gunner]

This comes from the man who spent half his time playing in Australia for money. He had to be coaxed by the Windies board to play for the national team. :haha:

[Serani]

I have no idea why people complain about others earning money, its all good to play for Pride and all that bull but at the end of the day that doesnt put food on the table, that doesnt educate your kids, that doesnt ensure comfortable living for the rest of your life. The more money the better.

[Gunner_Mania]

Forget all that happened in the 1970s, wasn't Sir Sobers one of the Legends promoting the Stanford 20/20 - that made some of the current West Indies players into millionaires. I guess when he was getting well paid by Stanford, he didnt have a problem with it.

[achilles]

You've got to hand it out to Sir Garfield Sobers. He's hit the nail on the head.

Forget all that happened in the 1970s' date=' wasn't Sir Sobers one of the Legends promoting the Stanford 20/20 - that made some of the current West Indies players into millionaires. I guess when he was getting well paid by Stanford, he didnt have a problem with it.[/quote'] Yeah hypocrite.

[Sir john]

not good speech:pray:

[nballa]

is it 'state the obvious day'?