Voice for Lanka no more
View(s):England captain and broadcaster Tony Greig dies
SYDNEY, Dec 29, 2012 (AFP) – Former England captain and television commentator Tony Greig who also a keen follower and motivator of Sri Lanka cricket died at the age of 66 after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Australia’s Nine Network said Saturday.
Greig, who worked for the broadcaster, first became aware of his illness during Australia’s one-day series against Pakistan in Dubai in August and September.
On his return to Australia, he had fluid removed from the right lung and testing revealed he had cancer, the network said.
“Beloved Tony Greig has passed away today, aged 66. To his family and friends we pass on our best wishes,” Channel Nine tweeted.
Last month, Greig spoke to the network’s cricket commentary team, of which he was a member, during their coverage of the first Test between Australia and South Africa in Brisbane.
“It’s not good. The truth is I’ve got lung cancer. Now it’s a case of what they can do,” he said at the time. He had an operation later that month.
South African-born Greig played 58 Tests for England between 1972 and 1977, scoring 3,599 runs with eight centuries at 40.43 and captured 141 wickets at 32.20. He captained England in 14 Tests.
He also played 22 one-day internationals for England.
Greig was instrumental in the formation of late Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer’s breakaway World Series Cricket contest staged from 1977-79 which sent shockwaves through the sport.
He helped secure the signings of a number of English and other foreign players to the rebel cricket series, launched in response to the Australian Cricket Board’s refusal to give Packer’s Nine Network exclusive Test broadcast rights.
The World Series featured stars such as Dennis Lillee, Imran Khan, Greg and Ian Chappell, Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd and left a lasting legacy on the game, including improved rewards for players.
The ICC chief executive David Richardson expressed his sadness on hearing the news that former England captain and respected commentator Tony Greig had passed away in Sydney today.
Richardson said: “This is extremely sad news for cricket and the ICC send their condolences to Tony’s family and in particular his wife Vivian. Tony played a significant part in shaping modern cricket as a player in the 1970s and then provided millions of cricket lovers with a unique insight as a thoughtful and knowledgeable commentator – primarily for the Nine Network in Australia.
“I met with him on several occasions during the recent ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka where he was a senior commentator for our broadcast partner ESS. He was also a regular visitor to the ICC offices in Dubai when commentating for Ten Sports. I am sure that I will not be alone in saying that he and his wise words will be missed by cricketers, administrators and spectators around the world.”
The Chief Executive Sri Lanka Cricket Ajit Jayasekera paid his condolences by saying “He made a tremendous contribution towards Sri Lankan cricket. He was a real benefactor and a virtual ambassador for the country, who was always very supportive of our cricket for an extremely long time.”
| Sana says Tony was a Sri Lankan
Sri Lankan batting great Sanath Jayasuriya, who along with Romesh Kaluwitharana in the ‘90s formed an aggressive opening pair which oftentimes sent Greig into fits of excitement, said that the death of the veteran commentator was not just a loss for him personally but the whole of the country. “We have lost a great man. What he did for us in the early ‘90s no one else did. No one was talking about Sri Lanka then but he did that for us. I think he loved our nation because of the hospitable people and the whole country liked him as well. To me, he was a Sri Lankan,” he said. A good friend of Sri Lanka – Anura Tennekoon Anura Tennekoon, former Sri Lanka captain, who was a contemporary of Tony Greig, said that in the field of cricket being a South African and coming to England, playing county cricket and then for England and graduating to be the England Captain is a major achievement. In his time he was a useful all-rounder, who excelled in both departments. Moving onto Tony Greig’s friendship with Sri Lanka where Tennekoon was serving as Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka Cricket that he was one of the commentators who backed Sri Lanka in cricket as well as a tourist destination, and on the whole he was a good friend of Sri Lanka. He spoke about Sri Lanka all over the world – Duleep Mendis Former Sri Lanka captain Duleep Mendis said, “I think first and foremost we should extend our deepest sympathies to his family. From the time I was playing he was always backing Sri Lanka and wanted Sri Lanka to come up. Even as a commentator he would always encourage the country, even off the field he would come and talk to us. He would speak about Sri Lanka all over the world so I think we should be very grateful for that.” |
 Sanath Jayasuriya |
 Duleep Mendis |
 Anura Tennekoon |
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