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In March 1977, England cricket captain Tony Greig was arguably the most famous and popular sportsman in the country, and the best all-rounder in world cricket. He had recently led England to a famous series victory in India, her first successful campaign on the subcontinent since the Second World War. Then he had conjured a doughty performance from his travel-weary troops in the dramatic, one-off Centenary Test in Melbourne, narrowly losing by 45 runs. Within weeks, though, his reputation was in tatters. He was branded a traitor and mercenary, stripped of the England captaincy and excluded from the national side. He was also relieved of the Sussex captaincy and banned from first-class cricket for eight weeks. His involvement in the controversial 'Packer Revolution' had caused his fall from grace. Soon afterwards, he left England for good for a commentary career in Australia. At 6ft 7in, Greig was a giant of the game both figuratively and literally. His life story is every bit as fascinating as the controversy that engulfed him.
About the author
A former Hampshire player, Andrew Murtagh had the distinction of getting Tony Greig out for a first-ball duck in a televised match. Later, Murtagh worked as an English teacher before turning his hand to writing cricket biographies. He has published books on George Chesterton, Tom Graveney, Barry Richards, John Holder and Colin Cowdrey. With his inside knowledge of the professional game, Murtagh is uniquely placed to tell Greig's compelling story.
Summary
In March 1977, England cricket captain Tony Greig was arguably the most famous and popular sportsman in the country. Within weeks, though, his reputation was in tatters. He was branded a traitor, stripped of the England captaincy and excluded from the national side. His life story is every bit as fascinating as the controversy that engulfed him.
