Former England player and captain turned commentator Tony Greig passed away on 29th December following a cardiac arrest.

Tony Greig waves final goodbye

Greig was diagnosed with lung cancer in October but died in Australia following a heart attack at the age of 66. His death makes 2012 a year to forget for all cricketing enthusiasts following the retirement of the giants of the game.

Greig was working as a commentator with Channel 9 in Australia and was one of the best in the business. He was unable to work during the Brisbane test against South Africa. His cancer was diagnosed during the World T20 in Sri Lanka.

Greig was born and brought up in South Africa and then moved to England like Kevin Pietersen did in the recent years in search of International Cricket. Following his retirement he moved to Australia and worked with Channel 9 for over three decades till he was diagnosed with Cancer.  During the three decades he went on to become one of the finest commentators and game analysts the game had ever seen. He could spot a talent easily. Such was the caliber of that man.

“You’ve no idea how much one misses getting to the cricket on a day like today. When you’ve been doing it for 33 years it’s absolutely unbelievable. Even my little bloke who came home from school today was almost ‘dad what are you doing at home, you shouldn’t be here’, so it takes a little bit of getting used to, and I’m sure it’s going to get worse as this Test match goes on.” Greig revealed late on the first day of the Gabba test.

Dennis Lille once described Greig as a tough opponent who took on all oppositions with aggression and determination. Channel Nine’s tribute to the legend was summed up with the words “Tony Greig is a name synonymous with Australian cricket – from his playing days as the English captain we loved to hate, to his senior role in the revolution of World Series Cricket, his infamous car keys in the pitch reports and more than three decades of colourful and expert commentary.”

Tony Greig’s towering presence will be missed all around the world, he was a man who loved to travel, be it England, the sub continent, UAE or South Africa.

Cricket will miss the great Tony Greig and so will the world. May your soul rest in peace.

Tags: Channel 9, Commentator, Cricket, England, Tony Greig