West Indian cricket team in England in 1976 the West Indian get on top they are magnificent cricketers, but if they’re down, they grovel. And I intend, with the help of Closey and a few others, to make them grovel.” The insensitive comments only inflamed the racial and colonial implications surrounding the 1976 series. The remark was particularly provocative coming from Greig, the white South African-born captain of England. West Indian bowler, Michael Holding recalled how the comment “Smacked of racism and Apartheid. He got our backs up and made us more determined.” Greig claimed the word "grovel" was used only as a response to the way the
Tony Greig the remainder of that summer. His form proved only average after he made a dramatic 91 at Lord's in the opening Test. England defeated a dispirited Australian team 3–0 to reclaim the Ashes after four games. Brearley convinced the Selectors to retain Greig for the last Test, and requested that he received a share of any bonus due to the team. Greig's Test career ended quietly at The Oval on 30 August 1977. But his work for World Series Cricket (WSC, Packer's organisation) was just beginning. In September, backed by Packer, he was the plaintiff (along with Mike Proctor and