Kolkata: Cricket commentator of the Channel Nine commentary team of Australia, Mark Nicholas was, hospitalised during the first day of the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne between Pakistan and Australia with a suspected appendix ailment on Monday.
According to reports from the Western Australia newspaper, Nicholas is said to be suffering from a burst appendix after he suffered from severe abdominal pains and was sweating profusely and had to be taken to the Epworth hospital by an ambulance. Nicholas (59) felt uneasy in the commentary box and had to be attended to by paramedics at the MCG. He was not on air when he felt ill.
According to a Channel Nine spokesperson, “During a break today, Mark Nicholas had some abdominal pains. He has gone to hospital for appropriate checks.”
An English by birth, Nicholas was a middle-order batsman and played county cricket for Hampshire and even captained the side. He led his county side to four major trophies- the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1988 and 1992, Sunday League (now Pro40) in 1986, and the NatWest Trophy (now Friends Provident Trophy) in 1991. He had also led the England A side to the tour of Zimbabwe in 1989-91. He was one of those players unlucky to have not featured in a single Test match for his country in
his career.
He has been the voice of Australian cricket and is a regular member of the Channel Nine commentary team. He also is a part of the commentary team of Channel Five of the United Kingdom.
However, a Channel Nine statement late in the afternoon said, “doing much better this evening and is in good spirits. He wants to thank the MCG staff for all of their help and the Channel Nine viewers and cricket community for their good wishes.”