In the early 1970s, Tony Greig emerged as an outstanding all-rounder for England with a capacity to make game-changing contributions. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1975.
Tony Greig took over the England captaincy in 1975 and proved an inspirational leader. Two years later he became the chief recruiter for Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket. In 58 Tests, he scored 3,599 runs at 40.43 and took 141 wickets at 32.20
Standing nearly 6ft 8in, his head capped by blond hair that gleams like a golden helmet in the sun, Tony Greig, on all counts, possesses what Noël Coward described simply as star quality. Here is the Nordic superman in the flesh but although he has the fiercely competitive quality on the field, Greig is a friendly, gentle soul off it. His impact upon the English cricket scene matched his striking physical presence and it is astonishing in the light of all that has followed that his debut was as recent as May 1967.
When he walked out to bat for Sussex at Hove for the first time the scoreboard showed 34 for three and waiting to give him his baptism of fire was the formidable Lancashire trio, Brian Statham, Ken Higgs and Peter Lever.
Open Account Offer. Up to £100 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365. Min deposit £5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code WISDEN can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. Bet on the IPL here. 18+ please gamble responsibly.
On his own admission he forgot all about the first principles of batting; he did not size up the conditions, he did not play himself in and have a good look at the ball, he did not treat the bowlers with initial respect, he did not wait to see whether the delivery was suitable to drive having made up his mind to hit out before the ball left the bowler’s hand, he took no care over his shots. Head up, feet in the wrong position, no idea of the correct line. “You name the mistake, I made it.”
All terribly reprehensible, but no one could take from this unknown 20-year-old South African the fact that he made 156 in ten minutes under four hours and Sussex recovered to a total of 324. Three days later at Fenner’s he was gated first ball by the Cambridge off spinner, David Acfield. When he came in Alan Oakman demanded 22 shillings and handed him in exchange a Primary Club tie dotted liberally with shattered stumps and flying bails. “It didn’t take me long to join the first-ballers club” says a rueful Greig.
Against Lancashire in his very first game Greig showed his potential as a future international batsman around five or six in the order. When Gloucestershire came to Hove later that same season he showed that here was something even more valuable, a genuine all-rounder who could well fill the gap left by Trevor Bailey’s retirement. Greig rolled over Gloucestershire with fast-medium seam bowling that brought him figures of eight for 25.
Greig gave himself six years to reach Test standard. He made it in something less than four. He loves England but is loyal to South Africa. “Just say I feel I have two countries and regard myself as lucky, and leave it at that.” On batting, he says, “I learned on hard wickets in good nets and when the ball is pitched up I like to hit it as hard as I can.” On fielding – “I’ve got to be in the slips or short leg or somewhere I know the ball is likely to come frequently and give me a chance of a catch. I’d die of boredom stuck down at third man.”
Of his bowling it could be said that actions speak louder than words. Having proved his capacity as a seamer he has become obsessed with bowling slower off a short run using the natural turn of the wrist. His lack of success in the English season of 1974 in this new role calls to mind one of the aphorisms of Hippocrates – The life so short, the craft so long in mastering. Yet, with that said, not even the severest critic of his new style bowling can take from him those 13 wickets at Port-of-Spain in the spring which, against all expectations, allowed England to save the series against the West Indies at the death.
The great thing about him is his approach to the game and his unfailing ability to make a valuable contribution, one way or another, in nearly every match he plays in. It is a quality which by the time he leaves the first-class game may have admitted him to the highest company of the true all-rounders of history.
