Former Northants player and coach David Capel recovering from brain tumour surgery

The 55-year-old is now on the mend at home, and has issued a statement through the cricket club thanking everybody who has contacted him to wish him well.

The statement read: “David Capel has asked Northamptonshire County Cricket Club to pass on his grateful thanks to all those supporters and former colleagues who have sent their good wishes and messages of support during his illness.

“The former County all-rounder and head coach recently underwent surgery on a brain tumour.

“The operation was successful and David is now recovering at home with his family.

“Capes spent 33 years at Wantage Road as a player and coach and also made 15 Test appearances for England between 1987 and 1990.

“Everyone connected to the club wishes David a full and speedy recovery.”

Born in Northampton and brought up in Roade, Capel made his debut for Northants as a teenager in 1981, and went on to play for the club for the next 21 years.

In his first-class career, the right-hand bat scored 12,202 runs at 29.68. He scored 16 centuries and 72 half-centuries, with his highest score for Northants being 175.

A fast-medium bowler, he also claimed 546 first-class wickets at 32.18 , with a best of seven for 44.

Capel was handed his England Test debut on July, 1987, and went on to play 15 matches for his country over a three-year international career, scoring 374 runs at 15.58 and claiming 21 wickets at 50.66.

His top score with the bat for England was 98.

In one day cricket, Capel played 23 one day internationals for England, and scored 327 runs at 19.23 with a top score of 50 not out, and he claimed 17 wickets at 47.35.

In 345 limited overs games for Northants, Capel scored more than 7,000 runs at 27.38, bagging four centuries and 28 fifties, and he took 281 wickets at 32.52, with a best haul of five for 51.

After he finished playing, Capel coached at the Northants Academy, before being named head coach in 2006.

He was coach for six years,leading the Steelbacks to the T20 Finals Day in 2009, before he left the club.

Capel then took up a coaching role with England Women, before being named head coach of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team in 2016, a role he undertook until the end of his contract in May this year.