There are many reasons why Tony Greig is anything but a hero. His role as recruiting sergeant for World Series Cricket when England captain, saying that he would make the West Indies "grovel" and being part of the comical Channel 9 commentary team to name but three.
But in the Brisbane Test of the 1974/75, Greig was a brave and valiant hero in the face of the bumper barrage of Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee that proved too much for the rest of his side. And given that Greig supposedly intensified the ferocity of the attack from the Aussie pace duo, it was a good thing too.
Australia batted first and towards the end of their innings Greig, who could generate significant lift from his 6'7" frame bounced Lillee. The ball reared at his head and he could do no more than glove it to Alan Knott. "Just you remember who started this,"muttered Lillee as he trooped off.
As the full savagery of Thomson and Lillee was unleashed, England succumbed. All except Greig who hit a brave and brilliant counterattacking hundred. He continued to wind up the Australians too by shadowboxing bouncers, signalling his own boundaries and goading Lillee in the process - "That's four, fetch that."
It may not have been a wise strategy for a bruised and battered England as they lost the battle and the war as the series went 4-1 to Australia, but Greig's admirable bravado earned him respect from the Australian crowds and probably helped cast the die for his ultimate key role in the formation of World Series Cricket. Greig has many faults as we outlined at the start, but at Brisbane in 1974 he was a courageous if perhaps foolhardy hero.
Where next?
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, if Lillee don't get out Thommo must
Comments