Wolverhampton cricketer Tom Fell reveals testicular cancer battle aged just 22

Batsman Fell, who helped Wolverhampton escape relegation from the Birmingham Premier League last season, had an operation in mid-October following the discovery of a tumour by a specialist.

He opted not to undergo chemotherapy and, after being told he has a 65 per cent chance of remaining all clear, will have regular check-ups instead.

Now back in training before heading out to Australia to play grade cricket in December, Fell has urged people to contact their doctor if they are concerned or notice any changes.

"I was quite lucky. I was fairly stupid in the fact I didn't get it checked straight away," he said.

"When they did analyse the tumour, it was fairly big at the stage they operated.

"I think if I had left it any longer and had gone to Australia to play cricket this winter without being checked, who knows how bad it could have been.

"Because I felt no different, that is why I didn't bother to get it checked sooner than I did.

"The thing I want to get out there to people is, even if they don't really have any concerns, it is worth getting it checked.

"It is such an easy thing to do, it takes 10 minutes with the doctor. I think partly the reason people don't get it checked is because it is quite a sensitive area and people may feel embarrassed and don't want to go through it."

Fell, who also plays for Worcestershire at county level, received the results of the operation on November 1.

"I saw the specialist again that day and they broke the good news that it hadn't spread," he added.

"However it was close. The tumour was quite bad at the time but it was really the best news that I could have hoped for.

"Basically the specialists gave me two options. The first option would have been to do two cycles of chemotherapy now and get it done and it's something like 99.9 per cent that it's all clear.

"The alternative would be to go on surveillance which basically involves monthly check-ups for a year and then after two years, it is every two months and then after that less frequent. That is something that goes on for 10 years.

"I'll be getting monitored and having regular checks. I was recommended by the professor I saw that if you can avoid chemotherapy it is definitely something I should do especially as a sportsman as the side effects and consequences can be quite severe.

"It is something I want to avoid. I've been told there is a 65 per cent chance it is all clear and a 35 per cent chance it can come back and if it comes back, it will most likely be in the next three months and then I would have to go through three cycles of chemotherapy as opposed to two now.

"The odds are in my favour in that sense and it is definitely worth just waiting and kind of hoping it doesn't come back and doing the surveillance and just keeping things checked up."