Tony Greig Dies Aged 66

Tony Greig Dies Aged 66

Tony Greig (right) became a commentator who was respected throughout the world after his retirement.

©REUTERS/Action Images

Former England captain and commentator Tony Greig has died at the age of 66 in Sydney. Greig had been battling lung cancer since October, but suffered a heart attack at about 2pm Australian time.

He leaves behind his second wife, Vivian, his daughter Beau, his son Tom and two adult children from his previous marriage - daughter Sam and son Mark.

Greig was first diagnosed with bronchitis this summer, but when it failed to clear up, further tests revealed a lesion on his right lung. This caused him to miss his commentary duties with Channel Nine for the first time in 33 years. He had originally been targeting a return to the commentary box for the New Year Test against Sri Lanka.

Greig was born in South Africa in 1946, but moved to England to pursue a career there, firstly with Sussex and then England. He played 58 Tests for his adopted country, as well as 22 One-Day Internationals, before throwing in his lot with World Series Cricket and Kerry Packer. This took him to Australia and, for a time, he was shunned by the cricket establishment. However, his commentary for Channel Nine in Australia helped his “rehabilitation” and he was asked by the MCC to give this year’s Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s.

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell paid tribute to Greig’s career as a commentator and a player, saying on the Cricket Australia website, “"Tony was a very willing opponent on the field, but was equally willing as a friend off the field. He made himself into a successful Test cricketer and Test captain by that willingness to take the game up to his opponent whether with bat or ball. He was also one of the best slip catchers of all time. I got to know Tony well during the World Series period and have worked with Tony many times since as a commentator. His enthusiasm for the game and his combative nature came to the fore in this role as well and while he was always happy to stir the Australian audiences, behind the scenes he loved this country as much as we do. My memories of Tony are of his gregariousness and his generosity of nature."

© Cricket World 2012