“It’s gone way down to Swansea….”
The sixth six. Six sixes in an over. Sir Garfield….
Gary Sobers left us yesterday morning to head to the celestial Long Room. Where there will be so much chatter and laughter and many stories spilling out. Lucky angels…
I had the privilege of meeting the great man. One afternoon in Barbados. On a golf course. I will never forget the glint in the eye and the pat on the shoulder and the 3 wood he caressed down the first fairway. Genuinely, one of the legends…
At the bar after our round, the beers were flowing. I was desperately trying to impress a girl who sensibly had her sights set elsewhere. The great man wandered over. “Hey Georgie, you like the horses…..??”
Two days later. Garrison Savannah. Chester on speed. The girl had cleverly wandered elsewhere. She ended up with somebody very cool and beautiful. Racing by myself. A Turf Club badge from Goodwood on my jacket that opened every door. Behind one of them, Sir Garfield. “Hey Georgie, what do we fancy in the next….?”
A privilege. An honour. In the presence of greatness. A kind man. And kindness counts for so much…
Gone to those playing fields on high. But whilst most of us will drift from memory when our time comes, icons remain forever in the collective psyche….
Pertinently, with ground of firm and hard and rattling, and so no runners, this weekend is about cricket for me. Playing today, and to Lords tomorrow. Glasses will be raised to one of the Greatest of all time….
But first a busy morning of galloping and Goodwood tweaking and dreaming…
A covey of Callans and a De La Sayette with us…
Busy. Is good. Must dash…
