Cricket-News.Org

Essex Captain Ronnie Irani has declared his hip operation a success following surgery in America. However, the 35-year-old batsman will have to return to Colorado in December after deferring planned surgery on his left knee.

Speaking to the Essex CCC website (www.essexcricket.org.uk), Irani said:

“I went over to Vail, Colorado last week initially to get a (left) hip operation from a guy called Marc Philippon – who also operated on Ashley Giles – and that was successful.

“I was hoping to get the knee operation done at the same time but, with the angle they need to get the knee into, it would have been impossible because it might have damaged my hip. So I need to rest the hip and will then return to Vail in six weeks’ time when I’m going to take my wife and two children out who can do some skiing while I get operated on!

“I’m still hoping that everything should be bang on schedule to be fit for the start of next season. I’ve got plenty of time for the rehab on the knee – it’s not major surgery but it’s something similar to what I had three years’ ago on the right knee – and though you can never say never and things should be a little bit tender pre-season I should still be able to get through.”

Notes:

Ronnie Irani has scored in excess of 12,000 first-class runs (along with taking over 300 first-class wickets) for Essex since joining the County in 1994. The former Lancashire player has been Captain of Essex since 2000. He enjoyed an outstanding 2006 season with 1075 runs @ 59.72 in the County Championship, 379 runs @ 63.16 in the C&G Trophy and 338 runs @ 42.25 in the Twenty20 Cup. In addition, the former England player led his side to success in the NatWest Pro40 and Twenty20 Floodlit Cup.