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Born in South Africa, he captained England at cricket and was the driving force behind the Kerry Packer cricketing circus in Australia which led to a much better financial deal for cricketers worldwide.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in November but died of a heart attack today aged 66. A real gentle giant and gentleman.

RIP Big guy.

Any white South African who thought it funny to announce that the West Indies would grovel before him had pretty poor common sense.

Trying to get Kallicharran declared run out at the non-striker's end after the last ball of the day was scarcely in the spirit of sportsmanship either.

He and Kerry Packer deserved each other.

Ok, I'm ill. My temperature peaked at 101 (38.3) and I know my head isn't working properly.

But I could swear this was a thread started by an American I had no idea had an interest in cricket (perhaps an art connection?)

Yeah, the racism was, I think, there. But the Windies blackwashed us that year (I remember it well) and all us kids were Viv Richards or Michael Holding. That West Indies side did a lot for race relations in this country, I think.

And he DID play a big part in getting players treated better and paid better. How much credit he should get for that I don't know, cos I don't know how much of it was just him being a stroppy bugger.

But few of us manage a completely blameless life. RIP Mr Greig.

I don't particularly care to see cricketers paid better. What I see resulting from the Packer farrago is ridiculous clothing and limited over one day games, neither of which have any place off the village green and even then they should be in whites. The game has been demeaned and I associate Packer's troupe with the demeaning.

I have no doubt Tony Greig was a laudable chap, I merely mentioned the three aspects of his career that come to my mind whenever his name is mentioned.

Paracetamol, lemon and a splash of Scotch before bed, mate.

Paracetamol, lemon and a splash of Scotch before bed, mate.


Off the sauce for good. Had medical excitements this summer and turns out alcohol now really messes up my guts. Beer...sob. Apart from that I'm really pleased. Feeling a bit better today but temperature still up, though not as high.

I'm a fan of 20/20 and test cricket, much less of the 50 over game. But I think in this country we now have a system that allows people to make a decent living at cricket and I'm all for that. Don't see it going like football...

oh yes - I think I'm remembering the subsequent blackwash tour in my previous post - not the Clive Lloyd team. What I said was true of both though.