MELBOURNE: Former England captain and respected commentator Tony Greig, one of the architects of cricket’s World Series revolution in the 1970s, has died at the age of 66 after suffering a heart attack at his Sydney home on Saturday.
Greig, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in October, was taken to a Sydney hospital but died at about 1:45 pm.
A larger-than-life figure standing 6ft 6in, South Africa-born Greig played 58 Tests for England from 1972-77 as a successful all-rounder, scoring 3,599 runs for a batting average of 40.43 and claiming 141 wickets.
His biggest impact on the game, however, came after he joined forces with late Australian businessman Kerry Packer to set up the breakaway World Series Cricket.
A long-time resident Down Under, Greig later became a cricket commentator with Channel Nine.
A combative and occasionally abrasive character, Greig’s booming voice and signature white hat featured on television screens for over three decades, but his battle with cancer prevented him from taking his position behind the microphone for the current 2011/12 season.
“It’s a great loss to world cricket. To me personally I’m shattered,” said former Australia captain Bill Lawry, who spent decades alongside Greig doing commentary.
Tributes flowed for Greig with Brian Lara tweeting: “RIP Tony Greig!! You have left a great footprint on the world of cricket.”
“Not only was he a wonderful player and a very successful player for England, I think he was a wonderful guy,” Australia captain Michael Clarke said. (Reuters)