Sri Lanka's 19-year-old Tony Greig - a young fast bowler with Bradman, Waugh and Lara in his family

A 19-year-old fast bowler from Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, is drawing attention for a reason that goes well beyond his bowling. Tony Greig, born in 2007, carries the name of one of cricket's most recognisable figures, and his family tree reads like a who's who of the sport's all-time greats.

Tony plays club cricket for Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo, making him the only member of his immediate and extended family who has taken the game seriously. His brothers are named Don Bradman, Steve Waugh, and Larry Gomes, while his cousins, the sons of his father's younger brother, go by Brian Lara, Brett Lee, and Fleming.

As outlined in a story by CricHub, the man behind this extraordinary naming exercise is Tony's father, Joseph Leo Dominic, a devoted cricket follower who chose to honour the legends of the game through his children and nephews. Tony's mother is Karuppiah Latha Mangeshkar. The family is based in Nuwara Eliya, a hill-country town in Sri Lanka's Central Province.

Tony himself was not always destined to carry the Greig name. He was originally to be named Dhoni Greig, after former India captain MS Dhoni, but the name became Tony in the Tamil context of the family. It is a detail that adds another layer to an already remarkable story.

Who named an entire family after cricket legends?

Joseph Leo Dominic's decision to name his sons and nephews after cricket's most celebrated players has given the family a lineup that would rival any all-time XI on paper. Don Bradman, Steve Waugh, Larry Gomes, Brian Lara, Brett Lee and Fleming all appear in the family register, with Tony Greig completing the set. As Tony made his way through the cricketing circuit in Sri Lanka, questions and curiosity regarding his name, origins and the names of members in his family started surfacing. 

The year Tony was born, 2007, was also the year India won the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa, a coincidence that adds a small footnote to his story. His father's passion for the game clearly ran deep enough to shape the identity of an entire generation of the family.

Is Tony Greig the only cricketer in the family?

Despite the remarkable collection of cricketing names spread across his brothers and cousins, Tony Greig is the only one among them who has pursued the game with any seriousness. None of his siblings or cousins, whether named after Bradman, Waugh, Lara or Lee, have followed him onto the field in any competitive capacity.

Tony has shown raw pace as a fast bowler, though control remains an area he continues to work on. He represents Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo, one of Sri Lanka's established club sides, which gives him a credible platform to develop his skills.

One detail that remains unresolved is which Fleming the family had in mind when naming one of Tony's cousins. It is unclear whether the reference is to former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming or former Australian fast bowler Damien Fleming, and no clarification has been provided.