Tom Fell hits half-century in his comeback match after cancer battle

Worcestershire batsman Tom Fell had a spectacular return to cricket on Monday, scoring a half-century in his comeback match. The right-hander made his way back to the cricket field after recovering from two different forms of cancer in his side’s county championship game with Leicestershire.

The 22-year-old, who was his county’s most prolific batsman in the 2015 campaign, was diagnosed with Testicular and Lymph cancer at the end of the last season and underwent an operation in October 2015. He hit 171 against Middlesex in what was his last game before this medical issue kept him out of action for nearly 10 months. Fell was received with a warm and emotional welcome on his home ground New Road.

Fell constructed his innings around 11 boundaries in his entertaining 61 run knock. His side, however, could not do very well as the hosts collapsed from 135-1 to 193-7 after Fell and Daryl Mitchell’s 97-run second-wicket stand was broken.

Worcestershire had a total of 407 to overhaul which Leicestershire posted in the first inning riding in the Ned Eckersley’s unbeaten 92.

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Fell missed the start of the season after undergoing chemotherapy treatment and had been playing in Worcestershire’s 2nd XI before making his first-team return.

Worcestershire coach Steve Rhodes said: “There was some good stuff with Mitchell and Fell. I thought it was a really good partnership but then the Leicestershire bowlers really got through us.”