India, July 18 -- Long before T20 cricket created an industry around power-hitting, long before strike rates, boundary percentages and six-hitting range became essential parts of a batter's profile, Garry Sobers produced an over that appeared to belong to another age.

Except it happened in 1968. Sobers, widely regarded as the greatest all-round cricketer the game has known, died on Friday at the age of 89, just days before his 90th birthday. His career contained achievements that would have been sufficient for several great players: 8,032 Test runs at an average of 57.78, 26 centuries, 235 wickets and 109 catches.

Yet one of the most enduring images of Sobers requires only six balls. On August 31, 1968, playing for Nottinghamshire again...