Boycott has surgery on throat cancer

Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has had surgery to remove his throat cancer, says his daughter Emma.

Posting an update on her father’s X account, Emma Boycott said Sir Geoffrey underwent a “three hour” operation.

Boycott, 83, was told last month the cancer had returned, having been treated for the illness in 2002 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“Just to let everyone know my father, Geoffrey, has successfully come out of surgery this evening after a three hour operation to remove his throat cancer,” said Emma Boycott.

“Yet to see him but surgeon says it went well. He asked that I post an update.”

The former England opening batsman played in 108 Tests for his country between 1964 and 1982, scoring 8,114 runs including 22 centuries.

He captained the side on four occasions during the 1978 season instead of injured regular skipper Mike Brearley.

Boycott, who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire, averaged 56.83 as a batter with over 48,000 runs and 151 centuries.

Boycott spent 14 years with the BBC’s commentary team after his retirement, working on Test Match Special until 2020.

He had quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2018, which he said was a factor in his decision to step away from commentary, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.