Tom Fell made a courageous and emotional return to professional cricket for Worcestershire today in a second-team fixture against Sussex in Kidderminster.
The 22-year-old, who was Worcestershire’s leading County Championship run-scorer last season, has been receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with testicular cancer – but has amazed his team-mates with his determination to keep playing cricket.
Worcestershire team-mate Joe Clarke explained in his first ECB blog last week: “Tom has made us feel more positive about him by being so positive about it himself. He’s already been into the ground one day and the lads who saw him in the nets said you wouldn’t know anything was wrong.
Worcs 2nds 45-0 in 11th over. Off for rain at Kidderminster. Fell 23*, Rhodes 6* Extras 16
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) April 25, 2016
“I went to see him in hospital last week with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, and at first it was quite upsetting seeing him attached to all these wires, whilst the chemo was dripping into him. But he was in very good spirits.
“The way I see it I’m just keeping his position at number three warm, until hopefully Felly gets back later in the season to the spot where he played so well for us last year.”
Fell opened the batting with George Rhodes, the son of Worcestershire director of cricket Steve, and had reached an unbeaten 23 out of 45 without loss when rain stopped play.
Source: ECB