Boycott reveals second cancer diagnosis

Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has been diagnosed with throat cancer for the second time and will have surgery.

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

Boycott will have surgery to remove the cancer in two weeks’ time.

In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Boycott said: “In the last few weeks I have had an MRI scan, CT scan, a PET scan and two biopsies and it has now been confirmed I have throat cancer and will require an operation.

“From past experience I realise that to overcome cancer a second time I will need excellent medical treatment and quite a bit of luck and, even if the operation is successful, every cancer patient knows they have to live with the possibility of it returning. So I will just get on with it and hope for the best.”

The former England batsman scored 8,114 runs in 108 Tests from 1964 to 1982 and was captain on four occasions in 1978 in place of the injured Mike Brearley.

Over the course of his first-class career, Boycott, who played for Yorkshire, averaged 56.83 with the bat and scored 151 centuries and over 48,000 runs.

After his retirement, Boycott went on to become a successful broadcaster and was part of the BBC’s cricket commentary team.

In 2020, his 14-year spell as commentator on the BBC’s Test Match Special ended.

Boycott underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2018, which he said was a factor in his time with the BBC coming to an end, as well as the coronavirus pandemic.