Rounding up the events of our Welcome Meeting on Sunday evening, you will have guessed by now that our special surprise guest was none other than the greatest all-rounder of them all, Sir Garfield Sobers (pictured with Michael Brown, CEO of the Barbados Cricket Association).

Fashionably late and totally unexpected, Sir Garfield Sobers arrived at the function in Limegrove at Holetown, near to the players’ accommodation.

A warm and spontaneous round of applause broke out as Sir Garfield, now 75 years of age, explained that his good friend, Franklyn Stephenson – whose cricket academy Notts are using on this trip, had telephoned to see if he would be able to come and meet the current players.

Sir Garfield, who played for Notts between 1968 and 1974, wished his old county side the very best of fortunes in the forthcoming knock-out competition, The Banks Barbados T20 Cup, as well as in the new domestic campaign back home. He then spent time chatting to director of cricket Mick Newell, captain Chris Read and his side.

Newell admitted that the visit had turned a good evening into a very good one. “It was terrific of him to come and see the players and spend time with them. He has been happy to have his photograph taken with them all and chat to them about their careers.”