As you may have read in the news over the last few days, Tony Greig has been diagnosed with a form of lung cancer. He’s due to undergo surgery this week to determine the extent of his condition. I’m sure you’ll join us in wishing him all the very best.
I’ve always had a generously-sized soft spot for Greiggy, who it’s easy to forget – despite his accent, and residence in Australia – was once the captain of the English cricket team.
As a cricketer, Greig was, in some senses, the KP of his day – a provocative South African with an inherent capacity for provoking controversy. Most notably, he joined forces with Australian TV magnate Kerry Packer to establish the breakaway World Series competition – in defiance of an English cricket establishment who, then as now, believed they owned the game and that no one could be allowed to play it outside their auspices.
But nowadays we know Greig best as a commentator, mainly on Channel Nine, and wonderfully caricatured by Billy Birmingham.
Endearingly unorthodox, Greiggy’s principal trait is to call the outcome of a delivery far too early, and incorrectly. “That’s a great shot…that one’s going all the way…er…he’s going to be caught”.
Few commentators so naturally convey such exuberant drama through their catchphrases, whether it be describing a catch – “that’s in the mitts!…that’s in the sweetspot!”, or his classical “goodnight Charlie!”, upon the fall of a wicket.
And as the writer Marcus Berkmann has observed, Greig not only gets away with using words no one else does – including “crash helmet” and “telecast” – but we kind of love him all the more for it.
Speaking about his diagnosis in typically pugnacious fashion, Greig says: “[My wife] Vivian and I are going to put the boxing gloves on and fight this like we’ve never fought anything before.” You’d expect nothing less. Good luck Greiggy – we’ll be thinking of you.
Maxie Allen
Seconded.
Along with benaud and Johnston, he’s the enduring memory of cricket commentary from my childhood (and beyond). Best of luck to him.