Irani undergoes knee operation

Ronnie Irani has flown out to Colorado for a make-or-break operation on his troublesome right knee. Irani, who was forced to stop bowling this summer after suffering constant discomfort, had been warned that arthritis would set in if he continued to play.

"On occasions we were struggling with the ball and I must admit that I was tempted to try a few overs but the surgeon's advice kept coming back to haunt me," said Irani, who captained Essex during a difficult season. "He said `Keep on bowling and you'll end up a cripple'. He wasn't joking and I wasn't prepared to take the chance."

The orthopaedic surgeon Dr Richard Steadman was due to perform the operation today.