Tony Greig diagnosed with a cancer

20 October 2012 12:18 pm - 77 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Legendary cricketing figure Tony Greig has been diagnosed with a form of lung cancer.

He will wait and evaluate a detailed prognosis before deciding on treatment. "I have had a few scrapes in my life and this is another one," Greig told The Sunday Telegraph from his eastern suburbs home.

"(His wife) Vivian and I are going to put the boxing gloves on and fight this like we've never fought anything before."

Greig will enter hospital this week for surgery to take a sample from his lung, which will allow doctors to properly diagnose the extent of the cancer and chart a course of action.

Greig, 66, first became aware he had a problem during Australia's one-day series against Pakistan in Dubai in August and September, on which he was commentating. Initially diagnosed with bronchitis in May, the condition lingered and, by the time of the ICC World Twenty20 that finished in Sri Lanka earlier this month, Greig had tests that revealed a small lesion at the base of his right lung.

On his return to Australia a fortnight ago, he had "a lot of fluid" removed from the right lung. Testing revealed he had lung cancer.

A former England captain, the South African-born Greig is a household name in Australia after defecting to be one of the spearheads of Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket in 1977.

His integral role in the formation of WSC, and his strong friendship with Packer, was showcased in Channel Nine's blockbuster mini-series Howzat.

Greig was bestowed the honour of delivering the prestigious Cowdrey Spirit Of Cricket Lecture at Lords in June this year, receiving rave reviews and proving old wounds between he and the MCC had long healed.

He has lived in Sydney since the late 1970s and has commentated cricket for Nine for 33 years, with the quartet of he, Bill Lawry, Ian Chappell and Richie Benaud becoming the voices of the Australian summer.

He is unsure if he will commentate for Nine during the upcoming summer, which begins with a Test at the Gabba against South Africa on November 9.

"At this stage, the summer is totally up in the air," Greig said. "My priority, 100 per cent, is my family. They will come first."

Greig is expected to take guidance from Nine boss and close friend David Gyngell. He formed a strong bond with Packer and the "first man on Australian television" Bruce Gyngell from the start of World Series Cricket and met their young sons James Packer and David Gyngell, when they were in primary school.

"This is a difficult time for Tony and, knowing him like all the family at Nine knows him, it'll take more than this to stop him," Gyngell said.

"Every fan at the SCG and MCG and cricket stadiums around the world will be rooting for this great man, as are all his Nine colleagues. At a personal level, I've known Tony Greig most of my life . He's a generous, big-hearted, inherently decent bloke. I'm thinking of him and his family."

Greig and his second wife Vivian have two young children - daughter Beau, 12 and son Tom, 10, who is a talented cricketer.

He also has two adult children from a previous marriage - daughter Sam, 39, and son Mark, 37 and is close to his siblings - brother Ian, also a former English Test cricketer who lives in Brisbane, and sisters Sally and Molly. On Saturday night, Greig phoned his 93-year-old mother Joyce in South Africa to inform her.

Greig is the second Nine personality to be diagnosed with cancer in as many weeks after it was revealed Peter Harvey was battling cancer of the pancreas.(Herald Sun)

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Comments - 77

Shanti perera Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:08 AM

Get well soon, I am sure you can 'fight it' with your determination. All cricket fans in SriLanka will wish you a speedy recovery. God bless

MM Sunday, 21 October 2012 04:03 AM

SAD, SAD NEWS... GET WELL SOON TONY... OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU!

chprince Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:36 AM

Tony,
Want to wish you all the best! Good luck and good health to dear man...

Jesus Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:24 AM

If your a so called Jesus believer ,he can't save you because he never existed . Find a right faith tony...god will save good people.

Rumy Mohamed Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:00 AM

Tony Greig is a friend of Sri Lanka. He enjoys our cricket and has spoken up for us many a times. I wish him good luck to recover well from this. via DM Android App

irfan Zavahir Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:51 AM

God bless you for speed Recovery

Meean Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:34 AM

May you get well soon.

Shahul Hameed Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:14 AM

very sad news to the millions of cricket lovers,I too join millions to pray Tonys speedy recovery,may the Merciful Almighty bless Tony with good health soon.....aameen

Sammy Sunday, 21 October 2012 04:39 AM

Tony has remained the No. 1 cricket commentator on TV, for some time now. Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery so you can get back to doing what you do best right now.

Abdul Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:47 AM

I haven't seen so many likes & so less dislikes to any news on this site, thats how much we love Tony! He is the voice of Sri Lankan cricket; GET WELL SOON SIR!

Jagath Leanage Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:12 AM

Dear Tony, I have seen you when you are playing. If I am not mistaken you are an allrounder with Off Spin bowling and fielding at silly mid on or sily mid off.What a wonderful crickter you are when you are playing for MCC and England.

With heartiest, good and kind wishes, you would have noticed how much we love you. With all this good wishes definetely you will get cured and will come back to us to see you and to hear execelent unbias commentries ." MAY TRIPPLE GEM BLESS YOU "

Roger Saturday, 20 October 2012 11:46 PM

Wish you all the very best to you Mr Greg your a strong man and your recovery will be a successful one

Ravi Saturday, 20 October 2012 11:31 PM

Tony,
You are easily the best commentator. We need you for many more years. You are in a big way responsible for popularizing Sri Lankan cricket.

May the blessings of the triple gem be with you.

lasagne Saturday, 20 October 2012 11:26 PM

He is a mere visitor staying in 5 star hotels and beaches.Ask him to live srilanka northeast.he would run away 100 miles per hr. There is a strong chance he will catch a boat to xmas island.but wish him speedy recovery as for any human

jan Saturday, 20 October 2012 11:15 PM

Tony Greg is a true friend of Sri Lankan cricket and it's people.
He was a strength leading to the 1996 world cup win. Our good wishes and blessings to him to get well soon.
We need you.

asoka Saturday, 20 October 2012 11:00 PM

All the very best. get well soon. May the Triple Gem bless you and family

Paddy Suman Saturday, 20 October 2012 10:34 PM

Dear Tony, we cannot let you get bowled, stumped or caught in the field of life. We want you bat till you score 100 yrs. We cannot and may not let you leave us that easily. Please God....let him live for another 50 or more years!

Gamini Udagepola Saturday, 20 October 2012 10:26 PM

Get well, dear Tony G, we Sri Lankans wish you a full and speedy recovery.

sonny Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:22 PM

god bless u with a speedy recovery !!!

Hobbes Tuesday, 23 October 2012 05:02 AM

Don't listen to the moronic rantings of those who deny Christ's existence. You know that HE and all other deities will see you through this storm.

English man Monday, 22 October 2012 11:39 AM

Deepest sympathies

morehana Monday, 22 October 2012 08:28 AM

False news. This can't be true.

willows Monday, 22 October 2012 08:18 AM

God bless you Sir, and we all sri lankans wishing you the speedy recovery and best to your family members.

mirza Monday, 22 October 2012 05:48 AM

recover soon sir!!

Dinesh Monday, 22 October 2012 05:08 AM

we wish you a speedy recovery from the bottom of our hearts !

sha Monday, 22 October 2012 03:33 AM

Get well soon sir.

Paddy Suman Saturday, 20 October 2012 10:20 PM

Get well soon dear Tony. There will be no cricket in SL without your voice being heard. May God Bless you!

Migara Perera Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:35 PM

Tony we all wish for sppedy recovery, we are sure that you have all the courages to battle and win. Dear Tony and family please be positive.

Don Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:43 PM

Tony get well soon, we all love you.....

Yoyo Sunday, 21 October 2012 08:57 AM

May GOD Bless and heal him fast. He is the best voice of international cricket he brings the atmosphere of the stadium to the sitting room and takes the audience to the pitch, he is one of the greatest commentators.

Cancer is a rouge that strikes when we are off guard, hope and wish Tony recovers soon and we hear his enjoyable voice at the next match!!

sam Sunday, 21 October 2012 08:12 AM

Very sad to hear this. May you have the strength to fight back.. Toughen up Tony!!

Lalindra Sunday, 21 October 2012 07:35 AM

Our prayers are with Tony and his family for their strength to come through this very trying times.

Ravi Seneviratne Sunday, 21 October 2012 07:01 AM

Get well soon Tony Greg, wonderful personality and a great comentator, excellent ambasador . Sri Lanka loves you.

idroos Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:34 AM

Very sad news Bro yet be courageous its not the end of the world may allah almighty guide u to the right path.He is the creator ,sustainer , saviour etc etc .Anyway from me my best wishes for your speedy recovery.Yes u r our voice the voice of sri lanka cricket commnetary of course on the right side.U have seen and have said up the sri lankans as a disciplined lot who play very orthodox cricket ever since

ANTON Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:25 AM

The way you pronounce KALUWITHA RAANA is unforgettable.
GOD BLESS YOU get well soon before the next sri lankan cricket tournament.

Mahesh Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:27 PM

Get well soon...God will give u longevity

RanjithT Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:32 PM

Wish you all the luck in the world to recover in nextto no time.

sayan Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:32 PM

I am shocked to hear this news,great gentleman ,our prayers are with u)))

Imran Hussein Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:21 PM

Tony, Get well soon. You are household name in Srilanka. Wishes for a speedy recovery.

SL Expat Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:02 PM

Wish you Speedy Recovery...

Ranjith Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:48 PM

We pray for you the great gentleman of all time. May you recover soon & whole Sri Lanka will pray for your speedy recovery. You are a role model not only for the cricket world, but also to the rest of the world as a great human being and a gentleman.

mac Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:40 PM

we sri lankans pray that you will recover fast and come to give your commentaries and advice the young cricketers you will over come.

wandi Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:00 AM

get well soon...dear Tony via DM Android App

Game Kolla Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:42 PM

He is an excellent cricketer and commentator...and a true friend of Srilanka cricket...and people. Wish you a healthy life!!!.

Samanthi Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:36 PM

Get well soon, we need you for many many years.

peeda mossa Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:35 PM

Wish you a speedy recovery, Tony. Hope to hear your loveable voice over the air channels pretty soon.

kandykolla Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:27 PM

Come on Tony !! you can fight this battle !! Our prayers are with you .........................!!!

Prof Wickramatillake Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:19 PM

Sad to hear. Wish him good prognosis. All Sri Lankan cricket fans will pray for him

ajantha Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:20 PM

Our best wishes for a speedy recovery. U are the best commentator in my life time u gave us so much pleaure may god be with u and the family. U will fight this and be back in Sri lanka soon. We cricket lovers of Sri Lanka wish u the best.

Labby Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:06 PM

By the Grace of God he will be healed. Our prayers are with him.

cricketer Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:00 AM

It was very sad to hear this news and it happened to great personality who had courage to speak on be half this tiny Island. For me he is the only commentator who speaks for us, all others are just commenting only for other countries including some of our dummy Sri Lankan commentators. Only Russel Arnold has shown some character. Anyway we all Sri Lankans wish you a speedy recovery and our hearts are with you till the end. via DM Android App

Matalan Saturday, 20 October 2012 01:00 PM

May he recover soon. My thoughts are with his family. A man with a big heart for all, especially Sri Lankans.

Senaka Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:50 PM

Get well soon Dear friend!

Ruwantha Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:54 PM

Really very sorry hear to this news and I was shocked. Just a hour ago there was a news item that Martin Crow was diagnosed with cancer. This is really breaks my heart.

I really fond and love tony Greig as a commentator solely due to his attitude towards sri lanka and sri lanka cricket and his knowledge on the subject and his straight forwardness.

I wish with my deep from my heart , that may he be come out of this danger and be with forever......

Fusion Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:34 PM

Oh dear, oh dear! :(

Get well soon Tony.

Ronnie Wade Saturday, 20 October 2012 09:12 PM

Tony Greig's unwavering support for the Srilankan Cricket team,since its inception at the Test level is something all Srilankans are thankful for and always remember.

We know you are fighter and hope you will get better.better.

Amila Gunasekara Saturday, 20 October 2012 06:50 PM

I'm sure you will get through this stormy weather bravely, Tony ! I wish you and your family all the courage and determination ! It's sad to see two legends in world cricket had diagnosed with the same disease !

hawkins Saturday, 20 October 2012 06:18 PM

You have been a great cricketer, wonderful ambassador for the game of cricket and a humble human being with wonderful human qualities. May triple gem bless you and protect you always.

eresh - kuwait Saturday, 20 October 2012 06:25 PM

excellent commentator ever seen .Get well soon & hope you will have a speedy recovery.

Mohamed Feroze Saturday, 20 October 2012 05:34 PM

Sir,may the almighty god grant you good health....have a speedy recovery

lalith Saturday, 20 October 2012 05:18 PM

its a heart breaking news.get well soon dear tony.

Jagath Leanage Saturday, 20 October 2012 04:54 PM

Dont worry. You will be O.K in couple of months time. Get well soon and we want to listen to your commentries.

chris perera Saturday, 20 October 2012 04:53 PM

May almighty God bless him

Ganesan S Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:45 PM

get well soon, we all pary for u !! you are one of the reason why i love our countrys cricket!! thank u for all the support to our guys over many years !!

Abdul Gaffoor Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:00 AM

Wish you a speedy recovery from your pineapple fans in Sri Lanka. via DM Android App

Hasitha Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:19 PM

Get well soon .... Tony ..... May the blessings of the triple gem be with you ..... you are faith full to SL ... than most 'Sri Lankans' .........!!!

DHA Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:16 PM

Ohhh noooo....!!!....Get well soon Sir....Our prays are with u always....!!!

Lobo Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:06 PM

He loved SL and it's people for what they were in spite of our blemishes. He knew so much about us and our culture and proudly broadcast it to the world. May you have a speedy recovery and strength to your family...specially those in Sri Lanka.

Nodrog Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:02 PM

Tony loves Sri lanka more than some Sri Iankans do. We wish him and his family well and hope and pray for his speedy recovery.

Fazli Saturday, 20 October 2012 03:07 PM

I join Mr. Tony's millions of welwishers sending their gwt wel mesgs. Needless to say, I am deeply shocked, like everyone else, and wish him speedy recovery and
look forward to see him again back in the commentary bx. My thoughts & prayers are with his family folks and I stand by them in this truly heart braking moment

Rilhan Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:52 PM

May Allha save you...".

Emsee Saturday, 20 October 2012 12:00 AM

You will stick on at the wicket.....no bowler is too good. via DM Android App

JC Saturday, 20 October 2012 02:44 PM

Oh Dear Jesus,
Let him get cured soon with your blessings!

He deserves many more years of life with his voice......
Get well soon Tony.

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Tony Greig diagnosed with a cancer

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