World Series Cricket (ABC). After the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused to accept Channel Nine's bid to gain exclusive television rights to Australia's Test matches in 1976, Packer set up his own series by secretly signing agreements with leading Australian, English, Pakistani, South African and West Indian players, most notably England captain Tony Greig, West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, Australian captain Greg Chappell, future Pakistani captain Imran Khan and former Australian Captain Ian Chappell. Packer was aided by businessmen John Cornell and Austin Robertson, both of whom were involved with the initial setup and administration of the series. In the mid-1970s, the Australian
Tony Greig also asked the BCCI to abandon self-interest and "embrace the spirit of cricket and govern in the best interests of world cricket, not just for India and its business partners." Tony Greig is regarded fondly by Sri Lankan cricket fans. He would often take the opportunity to advertise the country as a tourist destination during his commentary. A thinly-veiled fictionalized version of Greig as a TV pundit living a rock star lifestyle behind the scenes appeared in the Gratiaen, Commonwealth and DSC South Asian Literature prize-winning novel "Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew" by Shehan Karunatilaka. Greig began to have