Greg Chappell's baggy green: The consummate all-rounder
Gregory Stephen Chappell came from a cricketing family.
His grandfather, 'Vic' Richardson, played 19 Tests for Australia and his father, Martin Chappell, was a noted grade cricketer in Adelaide.
Greg's elder brother Ian and younger brother Trevor also became Test cricketers.
The family's backyard cricket matches were obviously an excellent training ground!
Left: Australian batsman Greg Chappell at the crease, 1980s. Courtesy: Bob Thomas, Getty Images.
Chappell made his first-class debut at age 18 and made a century in his first innings with the Australian team. By 1973, he was the leading Australian batsman and a national celebrity. Four years later, however, Chappell controversially left Test cricket for the breakaway World Series Cricket competition, taking the opportunity to earn a reasonable income playing cricket. He returned as Test captain in 1979 and retired in 1983.
Chappell was an exceptional all-round player. He was an elegant, stroke-playing batsman and, at the time of his retirement, holder of the world record for the most catches in Test cricket.
