As news of the death of Sir Garfield Sobers reverberated around the world, former local cricketers who held close ties with the legendary West Indies all-rounder joined many in paying homage to his extraordinary legacy.

Perhaps closest among them was fellow Barbados-born cricketer Colin Blades, the former Southampton Rangers, Somerset Cup Match and Bermuda batter, who was mentored by Sobers and also had the privilege of playing with and against him.

“He was a good person with a heart of gold, apart from the fact that he was an outstanding cricketer,” Blades told The Royal Gazette.

“As a schoolboy every time he came back from playing cricket in England or wherever he would always have a bat to give me. Then when I started playing cricket he would always give me gear and advice, so he was always one of my benefactors.

“I was playing cricket at home with the school teams and would play against him in trial matches, and then I played against him once or twice in England when I was playing for the Rothman Cavaliers.

“I also played with him for Barbados and it was a wonderful experience because you were playing with one of your heroes and you learnt from him.

“He was just outstanding as a cricketer and could do anything with a ball. He was an outstanding tennis and table tennis player. He also kept goal for Barbados and was into water polo, so he was an outstanding all-round sportsman.

“I admired him a whole lot not only for his cricket but the kind of person that he was. He was really kind-hearted and never had a bad word to say about anybody. We’ve lost a good person.”

Former Bermuda and St George’s Cup Match captain Cal “Bummy” Symonds, who played against Sobers when he toured the island as a guest player with English county side Yorkshire in the 1960s, said the world has “lost a great man and cricketer”.

“He was a beautiful left hand bat, bowled and was also very agile in the field,” he added.

“He has been here a few times and liked Bermuda. He always thought a lot about Mackie Simmons, Charlie Daulphin, Sheridan Raynor and Dennis Wainwright.

“I was sad to hear about his death because he has been a good friend of mine and others. We were very close friends and I also spent time with him in Barbados.”

Former St George’s Cup Match and Bermuda bowler Clarence Parfitt, who also played against Sobers on island, described his late friend as the “best all-round cricketer ever”.

“He was a compete cricketer and could do it all; bat, bowl, field. Bowl spin, bowl quick, so he was by far the general in cricket,” he said.

“His six sixes were brilliant and I watched him when he scored that 365 [former world record].

“I met him a couple of times in Bermuda and up here in Scotland. We were friends and used to chat a lot. We used to laugh over me getting him in one ball while it took him two to get me.

“This is a big loss for West Indies cricket and he will be missed.”

Parfitt’s fellow St George’s Cup Match and Bermuda team-mate Lee Raynor also spoke highly of Sobers’ remarkable exploits in the game.

“He was a great, great cricketer and considered to be the greatest all-rounder the world had seen at that time,” he declared.

“One year he came with a West Indies team and he was something to watch, made everything look easy. He was like the Muhammed Ali of cricket; he could bowl fast, spin, bat in any position and a keen fielder. He was on the ball.

“I played against him playing for Bermuda at Somerset and Nationals. I got him out down at Nationals, Dennis Wainwright caught him behind and Parfitt got him first ball at Somerset.

“We have lost a great cricketer and I am just sad to hear that he has passed away.”

Sobers played alongside England legends Geoffrey Boycott, Fred Trueman, Brian Close and Ray Illingworth during Yorkshire’s tour of Bermuda in the mid 1960s.

Boycott fondly recalls the memorable experience playing alongside Sobers.

“Someone had the smart idea to invite him to play for Yorkshire against the Bermuda teams, and it was box office,” he said.

“The pitches were matting on concrete. The ball whistled through with pace and alarming bounce.

“I asked Garry if I could borrow one of his long-handle bats because I was worried with all the bounce that I could break a finger and that would put me out of the Marylebone Cricket Club tour to Rhodesia and South Africa. With a long handle I could get my hands further out of the way of the bounce.

“In our first match the locals shot out five of us very quickly with nasty, short stuff. Garry came in at No 7 and, after a few bouncers, he told their captain to cut it out, no more. I thought “that's a great idea”.

“At the end of the over I chatted to him and said what about me! Garry turned to their captain and said “no more for him, too”. So we both got hundreds. I thought I would like to bat with him all the time!

“When Bermuda batted, Trueman and Garry tore into the locals with the new ball. It was unbelievable, fast aggressive stuff. It was frightening and unplayable.

“I don't know anyone who would have fancied batting against them on that matting on concrete. It was lethal. Bermuda were bowled out for 48 and Fred said about Garry: ‘He'll do for me, that lad.’”