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Tony Greig

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Tony Greig

Tony Greig was a combative character. In this extract from a newly published biography we look back at one of the more controversial incidents in which he was involved.
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I've only ever seen the Kallicharran Run Out once and that was the day after it happened. My 37 years later recollection is that Greig genuinely thought he was running him out legitimately with no gamesmanship involved. All that needed to happen was for Mike Denness to instantly withdraw the appeal.
 

archie mac

International Coach
I've only ever seen the Kallicharran Run Out once and that was the day after it happened. My 37 years later recollection is that Greig genuinely thought he was running him out legitimately with no gamesmanship involved. All that needed to happen was for Mike Denness to instantly withdraw the appeal.
Interesting maybe Boycott was right about the Scotsman:ph34r:
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
The book looks like a very good read. As someone who first took an interest in the game in the early 1970's, Greig was someone that I rated highly - clearly someone who was more willing than most of the England side to get stuck in when the going got tough. His runs nearly always came when it mattered rather than when the going was easy .His period in charge of the side is somewhat under-rated imo, even if his stupidly obnoxious 'grovel' comment was a massive own-goal.

I occasionally wonder what would have happened if Packer hadn't come along. Brearley would never have captained England, for instance, as Greig's tenure would probably have lasted until the end of the 1970's.
 

archie mac

International Coach
The book looks like a very good read. As someone who first took an interest in the game in the early 1970's, Greig was someone that I rated highly - clearly someone who was more willing than most of the England side to get stuck in when the going got tough. His runs nearly always came when it mattered rather than when the going was easy .His period in charge of the side is somewhat under-rated imo, even if his stupidly obnoxious 'grovel' comment was a massive own-goal.

I occasionally wonder what would have happened if Packer hadn't come along. Brearley would never have captained England, for instance, as Greig's tenure would probably have lasted until the end of the 1970's.
I think we had a thread here called "what if" would have made a good question. I always wondered if England had Greig and Botham what might have been:)
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
I think we had a thread here called "what if" would have made a good question. I always wondered if England had Greig and Botham what might have been:)
I suppose we may have been spared Botham's captaincy against WI in 1980 & 1981. Apart from that, the England side in the 3rd & 4th tests against Aus in 1977 give us a fair idea of what the side may have looked like. Probably with Gooch replacing Brearley around 1978 or 1979 and Gower replacing Roope around the same time. You'd imagine that Greig would have gone to SA in 1982 though.
 
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archie mac

International Coach
I suppose we may have been spared Botham's captaincy against WI in 1980 & 1981. Apart from that, the England side in the 3rd & 4th tests against Aus in 1977 give us a fair idea of what the side may have looked like. Probably with Gooch replacing Brearley around 1978 or 1979 and Gower replacing Roope around the same time. You'd imagine that Greig would have gone to SA in 1982 though.
The 82 was a big loss to England for the three years at least three walk up Test players in the rebels:)
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
The 82 was a big loss to England for the three years at least three walk up Test players in the rebels:)
Gooch was the big loss of course. Emburey to a lesser extent. On the plus side, it saved the selectors the tricky duty of retiring Boycott, as the old bugger would have played on for years given the chance.
 

archie mac

International Coach
Gooch was the big loss of course. Emburey to a lesser extent. On the plus side, it saved the selectors the tricky duty of retiring Boycott, as the old bugger would have played on for years given the chance.
Throw in Gooch, Emburey and Boycott and I wonder if it would have been enough to half the series against the Aussies in 82-83
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Throw in Gooch, Emburey and Boycott and I wonder if it would have been enough to half the series against the Aussies in 82-83
Must have helped to have had two proper openers.

Still, the absence of Alderman in 1985 for the same reason must trump the absence of Gooch in 1982/3, who hadn't done a thing against Aus at that stage.
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I suppose we may have been spared Botham's captaincy against WI in 1980 & 1981. Apart from that, the England side in the 3rd & 4th tests against Aus in 1977 give us a fair idea of what the side may have looked like. Probably with Gooch replacing Brearley around 1978 or 1979 and Gower replacing Roope around the same time. You'd imagine that Greig would have gone to SA in 1982 though.
I don't think Brearley would have played again after 1976 had it not been for Packer. His selection for the Indian tour was a complete nonsense unless Greig was lining up his replacement. In 1977 Boycott might have resumed his partnership with Dennis Amiss instead of replacing him. Amiss had made a double century on his return to the side only ten months previously and also did okay on the tour of India and even made runs in the Centenary Test. Boycott had to come back but Amiss was very unlucky to be dropped while a sub-standard batsman remained in the side as captain.
 

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