In between golf in the KClub on Thursday and a trip to Stormont on Tuesday for Ireland's first ever cricket international against England, West Indian great Sir Garry Sobers was in a sunkissed Malahide Cricket Club on Friday as part of a whistlestop tour of Dublin and Belfast to promote the 20th anniversary of his annual Schoolboy tournament which attracts teams from all over the world.

Visibly uneasy in the mid afternoon sun as he posed for photographs with local schoolchildren, Sobers quickly sought sanctuary in the clubhouse, citing a need for a seat and to escape the heat. "I don't want to be getting sunburned, " he quipped.

He spoke at length about his two great loves . . . cricket and Barbados . . . to an eager crowd of coaches and members. The main thrust of the visit was promotion of the tournament that exposes children to the best of Barbados cricket. But it soon developed into a frank discussion on the current cricketing climate.

In 1968 he became the first player to hit six sixes in an over as captain of Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan.

He averaged 57.78 and also took 235 test wickets.

For the current generation Sobers was the man who held the record for the highest ever individual score (365 against Pakistan in 1958) before it was smashed twice by his protege Lara and Australian Matthew Hayden.

"The record that I held was nice to hold but it's all about the team, " he says. "The West Indies have had great teams, yes with some outstanding individuals, but that's how they will be remembered.

Look at the bowling attack of Michael Holding . . . 'Whispering Death' they used to call him . . . Joel Garner, Croft and Roberts. They were great individuals who didn't play as individuals "You look after Holding and then you've the other three to contend with. It was relentless. There was no let up for batsmen. It would have struck such fear into them."

In a picture-frame symbolically above where Sobers was seated during the discussion was a memorable image of Dougie Goodwin and Alec O'Riordan holding the ball that sent the Windies tumbling to a humbling 25 all out in Sion Mills in 1969.

You are aware that Ireland have a particularly good record against the Windies, I ask? Punch drunk, Sobers maintains. "Oh yes! I know all about that game. I was in London so I missed it but I think the wicket that day was a bit bumpy. Either that or the Guinness was!"

Sir Garry believes that the West Indies will win next year's ICC Cricket World Cup, which will be held in the Caribbean. After years of turmoil between the islands he finally thinks that the hosts have turned a corner.

Time for informal questions and answers and to sign a myriad of photographs and books. The great man handled each request with grace and elegance. Some things never change it seems.