The Changing Face of Cricket

Sir Gary Sobers is one of the greatest cricketers of his era. His exploits on the field are undeliably imprinted on the minds of cricket followers worldwide, and he is recognized as one of the most knowledgeable authorities on all aspects of the game. In this book he sets down his views on all the important issues and discusses the future of cricket. Starting with the early years, he describes his background, rooted in poverty, his role models and early cricketing influences. He goes on to examine the game's development during his long career, always including the wider dimensions of the sport as a vehicle for economic improvement and social mobility. Since his retirement as a player, Gary Sobers has become influential in international cricket, and he describes his part in bringing South Africa back into the cricketing fold. There have been many radical changes since his retirement, such as one day cricket, sponsorship, and commercialization, and he expresses lively and sometimes surprising views on all the controversial issues, on the new generation of players and, on the Lara sensation.