A cricket hero will be the guest of honour during a cup final following his dramatic recovery from a mystery illness.
Mike Walsh, aka Wally, has flown in from Hong Kong and will be attending the Lancashire League Worsley Cup Final at Church Cricket Club.
His former side will be playing Ramsbottom in the final at West End on Sunday, August 7.
Mike was a part of the 1974 cup winning-side and hopes his team can capture the title for the second time in its history.
The 65-year-old was diagnosed with what doctors thought was terminal prostate cancer last year.
Mike said: “I was just about ready to fall off the old dish.
“The doctors had decided it was time to inform my friends and family at one point.
“I had a virus on top of the cancer which they could never get to the bottom of.
“I lost the use of my legs and lost two stone in a month.
“I looked dreadful and people who didn’t know me would avoid me in the street, I was like something you would want to avoid walking by.
“They called me ‘The Enigma’ of Queen Mary’s, the largest teaching hospital in Asia.”
He said doctors put him on a huge emergency dose of steroids and he eventually turned a corner.
Doctors are still unsure of what illness Mike had but are continuing to monitor his progress.
Mike said: “I never gave up hope or accepted the verdicts of the medical people, I was always a contrary old so-and-so.”
He added: “I am looking forward to the match. I think we are in there with a chance. Let’s hope the weather holds up.
“Whenever I’m in the country I always come up north to see old friends and it couldn’t have worked out better with the final fitting into the schedule nicely.”
Mike moved to the Far East in 1978 while working for Platts.
His six month stay turned into a permanent move and he is still working as a business manager for a major internet company.
He is also a member of Hong Kong Cricket Club.
Mike is one of nine members of the 1974 side who is still alive and he is hoping some of the other members will be at Sunday’s cup showdown.
He added: “It’s a long time ago but it’s a treasured memory and I still have a few old photos around.”
