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
Australian cricket team in England in 1975 hand Australia an innings victory, Keith Fletcher (51) top-scoring for England. Graham Gooch, on Test debut, scored a pair. England captain Denness scored 3 and 8, and was dropped from the side before the second Test, to be replaced as captain by Tony Greig. Dennis Lillee's four-wicket opening spell reduced England to 49/4 before David Steele (50), on debut, bailed England out. Steele set a platform for more positive contributions from new England captain Tony Greig (96) and Alan Knott (69), with Bob Woolmer (33), also on debut, shoring up the tail. In reply, John Snow reduced Australia to 37/3