Sobers, Garry (1936-...), was one of the greatest all-around players in the history of cricket. The government of his native Barbados declared Sobers a "national hero" in 1998 for his achievements in international cricket. Sobers was a left-handed, middle-order batsman and scored 8,032 runs in Test cricket, more than any other West Indian. He was also the first cricketer of any country to pass the total of 8,000 runs in Test cricket. Sobers bowled either fast-medium with the new ball, or slow, left-arm spinners. In Test cricket, he took 235 wickets and also made 109 catches.