Published: Jul 28, 2015, 01:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Jul 28, 2015, 02:52 PM (IST)
Former South African captain Clive Rice passed away in hospital on Tuesday morning after being diagnosed with cancer-related brain tumour. Rice had underwent a successful treatment in Bangalore recently. He turned to India when a South African neurologist told him that there was nothing more they could do for him and that his death from cancer was imminent. Rice, who was a highly rated player during 1980s, said he decided that he would not give up on life that easily. However, on Tuesday, the former South African skipper passed away. He played three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) after South Africa were allowed to return to international cricket against and in India back in 1991. Rice played 482 First-Class matches, scoring 26,331 runs. His highest was 246 for Nottinghamshire against Sussex. Rice’s international career kicked off late due to South Africa being isolated from international cricket. Clive Rice: An all-rounder in the league of Garry Sobers, Imran Khan and Ian Botham
Earlier, cancer-stricken former South African cricket captain had hailed the medical technology in India for giving him a second innings in life. “It’s almost like being taken out in a cricket match when you are the last batsman and lose with one run, only to discover that it was a bad ball bowled and you have another chance to win,” Rice told the Afrikaans daily Beeld. Rice was commenting on treatment he received in Bangalore for a brain tumour.
“It went very well and I feel good. It went much better than I had expected. You cannot believe how fantastic the technology is (in India). I experienced no pain during the treatment and the fear that the cancer would spread to my left has also dissipated. I received CyberKnife treatment for three hours,” he said.
“The only time I had some discomfort in India was when I was struck down by the notorious ‘Delhi Belly’ (food poisoning),” Rice said, as he shared his experience on social media for others who might be in the same condition.
“We must be proactive in the fight against cancer,” Rice said, adding that while he was at the hospital in Bangalore, he would watch the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 matches.
In 2013, Rice wrote on his wall on the social networking website: “Just want to update you all on my tumour. Thought I had a pulled muscle in my thigh. There was a lump there and not what I thought was a pulled muscle. Had a MRI scan and it needed removal. Had it removed 3 weeks ago and have a cut about a foot long in my right thigh. They got the whole tumour out but it is classed as a grade 2 tumour so that means I need radiation in the area.” “They removed some muscle around the tumour to make sure of the removal. I am getting over the wound at the moment. This should be another 10 days and then I will build up the strength again. I do not need to bat or bowl again so it just needs to be strong enough to play golf, race cars and do sensible things. I am fine and once the radiation has been completed in September I will be back to normal with the cancer nailed. If any of you have a lump check it out quickly so if it is a tumour you nail it early. Don’t leave it. I have been lucky,” he added.
Former India all-rounder Madan Lal responded to this by giving Rice a ‘get-well soon’ message. Lal wrote “Yes funny things happened in life. Tumour is not stronger than you.” Rice had also worked as a coach of Nottinghamshire and was influential in encouraging Kevin Pietersen to leave South Africa and play for England.
