Major heart surgery for Long Island cricketer Tom Boxell

Long Island cricket captain Tom Boxell is to undergo open heart surgery. He explains why.

Tom Boxell batting for Long Island. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Tom Boxell is staying strong, positive.

Next week the Long Island Cricket Club captain and champion batsman will enter hospital for open heart surgery to correct a genetic condition that has claimed the life of two relatives in recent years.

“I’ve got a genetic condition with the heart,” he said.

“It’s a disease I guess you’d call it and they’ve just got to go in and sort it out, which will put me out for the rest of the season.

“But I’ll be back better than ever. Once it’s finished, it’s finished. I won’t have to worry about it again.”

Boxell, 31, says he’s had no symptoms or issues with his heart.

But tests identified he had the condition, and needed corrective surgery.

“We’ve lost two (family members) over the last five years and after the second one they thought something is maybe not right here…and they found it to be the case,” he said.

“I’m just very lucky that they’ve caught mine early.

“We all got tested as a family and mine was diagnosed early enough, we’ve known about it for the last probably year or two.

“And they just had to wait for a couple of things, basically for it to grow in certain areas which it did, and they booked me in for next week.”

Tom Boxell bowling for Long Island. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Without the surgery, Boxell said the condition could be fatal.

“It’s proven to be the case through a couple of family members over the last five to 10 years,” Boxell said.

“They got all of us in there to get tested. My old man and a couple of uncles have had the surgery. Once you get the surgery you’re all good.”

The surgery will take between six to eight hours and be followed by at least a week in ICU.

“So you’ve got three weeks pretty much where you can’t dress yourself they reckon,” Boxell said.

“The others who’ve had the surgery, it’s all gone well and they’re better than ever so it should all be fine.”

Boxell is a former Richmond premiership opening batsman who has been a prolific scorer in both the Ferntree Gully and Mornington Peninsula competitions.

He led both clubs to premierships, making centuries in two winning grand finals for Knoxfield.

Boxell’s last day of cricket this season will be on Saturday.

Long Island is defending 298 against Baxter, and hopes to send him off a winner.

“Saturday is my last day for this season but I’ll be ready to rock and roll next season,” he said.