Clive Rice, who was South Africa’s first captain when they were re-admitted to international cricket in 1991, revealed his illness on Facebook.

He wrote on Thursday night: “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 three weeks ago and have a cut about a foot long in my right thigh.