WELLINGTON: Former New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe revealed on Wednesday his cancer has returned, 15 months after announcing it was under control.

“After a brilliant year of self discovery and recovery I have more work to do,” he tweeted.

“My friend & tough taskmaster Lymphoma is back to teach me. “The 51-year-old was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but after months of chemotherapy he said doctors had told him the cancer had shrunk to safe levels, although there was always the possibility of a relapse.

Crowe said he will now have to undergo further treatment.

A cousin of Hollywood star Russell Crowe, Martin Crowe is widely regarded as the best batsman to have represented New Zealand.

He averaged 45.36 in his 77-Test career, which included 17 centuries.

In 1991, he scored a New Zealand record for the most runs in a single Test innings when he was dismissed for 299 playing at Wellington’s Basin Reserve against Sri Lanka.

Published in Dawn, September 18th , 2014