Tony Greig
Overview
Teams represented
Awards
Biography
Former England captain and Channel Nine commentator, Tony Greig will always be remembered for his dominant stature on the field with bat and ball, as well as his colourful commentary on air that provided an altogether different flair to the world of cricket.
Born in South Africa, Greig first represented Sussex in 1965 in his teens and set himself on a long, prosperous cricketing journey. With an ambition to play for England, Greig went on to don the England whites in 1972. A debut came in the Ashes and Greig was rewarded for his hard work, with two fifties and five wickets in the Test. The tall right-handed batsman impressed everyone around him with his sheer personality and his limitless love for the sport. Consistent and versatile, Greig countered the finest bowling attacks in the world and scored hundreds across the globe. His shrewd and tactical captaincy was much admired everywhere, especially India and Australia.
However, his reputation touched a new low towards the fag end of his career. Greig became the first disciple of Kerry Packer, and was involved in the formation of the World Series Cricket. He lost his position as the England captain, his form vanished, and it all came to an unpleasant end. Nonetheless, he still remained an integral part of the sport, joining Channel Nine and delivering more than three decades of entertaining commentary in international cricket. In 2012, Greig was diagnosed with lung cancer, and despite undergoing a major operation, he suffered a heart attack that led to his demise. Greig was 66.
Tony Greig remains a name synonymous with Australian cricket – right from his playing days as English captain, to years of expert commentary.