Moments after being watching a bronze statue of himself being unveiled in Barbados, Garry Sobers was engaged in an informal but engrossing chat by Master of Ceremonies, Vic Fernandes. Rahul Bhattacharya was there Sir Garry, you played against many great players in your time. Who are some of the ones that stand out in your memory, and why?

Well, first of all, let me say that we have one right here in our midst today, who has been a good friend and good opposition, Ted Dexter. Ted to me was one of the best batsmen England has produced. I said that even when I was playing, and I still say that today, not just because Ted is here. Ted was a type of West Indian player, and I always like to see players who played with their bat and not their pads. Ted was always that type of a player.

Ian Chappell was another player that I admired. Again, he was that type of player who would come in a situation where things were tight and be able to pull the team out of it. This is the difference between the great players and the good players. The great players excel in any conditions, under any circumstances, where the good players only excel when it's easy going.

There's been a lot of good players. The word great has often been misused. There are many great players in every era, but I think when you put them together in the full context of greatness, I think you will find that there are only about three or four great players in that context. But every era we have great players. That it is true.

We've got another great player who probably would be great in that overall context if he continues, and who I believe is here with us this evening: my very good friend, Brian Lara (applause). It is wonderful to have Brian here. I remember when Brian first came to Barbados to play in the Sir Garry Sobers tournament, and Charlie Davis, another West Indian player, came along with him. I was sitting in my home when somebody knocked on my door. And he said to me, "Garry, Charlie Davis sent me to call you so you can come and see a youngster he's brought with him."

I went up to Barclay's playing field, and I walked and there was this young man, Brian Lara. Charlie introduced him to me and he looked at me and said "You Sir Sobers? You Sir Sobers?" (laughs).

Since then we became very good friends. He came back the following year and he blossomed. You could see how good he was then, but he couldn't get the ball off the square. The next year he started to push it around, and we became very close after that. So I hope that he's there, I hope he's listening because I think he has the ability to become a really great, great player in that context of greatness.

Before I close the door on these great players … I am sure that Sir Everton [Weekes] might be somewhere around here. Sir Everton was my idol. When I first played for Barbados, he was the first person to give me a bat. A Stuart Surridge Prefect, I think it was. Everton and I became very good friends from that day. Also, the late Sir Frank Worrell. We very close. And Clyde. We were all close. They were players who helped in my career. I would like to thank them, and thank all the others for their help.

Next week: How it all began

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