Tony Greig will be joining our award-winning commentary team for the Ashes Tests, completing the strongest line-up in British cricket broadcasting for the most eagerly-awaited Test series England has ever seen.

Greig is rightly celebrated by cricket lovers as one of the game's most authoritative voices, and has been a leading commentator on the sport for Channel 9 television in Australia for more than 25 years.

He captained England in 14 Tests, representing his adopted country 58 times having moved from his native South Africa in 1966.

But he's best known for his role as one of the key player recruiters for Kerry Packer's World Series in the late 1970s, a move that ended his Test career and caused bitter divisions in the game all over the world.

He's never been far from controversy, and it comes as little surprise to learn that he sees a combative and aggressive approach by England as their best chance of regaining the Ashes this summer.

"As long as England can weather the storm at Lord's and if Steve Harmison has a good summer I think they have a chance of upsetting this great Australian team," he says.

"It's so important from cricket's point of view that England is competitive in this series. The vast difference in standard between Australia and the rest of the cricket-playing nations in the world recently has not been good for cricket.

"I have no doubt that an aggressive attitude towards any Australian team is the way to go and it seems to me that there are a few players in this England team that may well take it to Australia.

"I've always wanted to come back to England to commentate on a competitive Ashes Series.

"Channel 4 has given me this opportunity for which I'm very grateful and am seriously looking forward to it."

Tony joins Mark Nicholas, Richie Benaud, Mike Atherton, Geoff Boycott, Michael Slater and Simon Hughes in the commentary box for this summer's Ashes series, all five Tests of which are live and exclusive on Channel 4.

The 1st Test at Lord's starts on Thursday 21 July.

9 Jun, 2005