A Cononley cricketer is planning to take part in the British Transplant Games.

Bone marrow transplant recipient Michael Rice, who lives in Skipton Road, will run in the 100m and 200m, and will also compete in the cricket ball throw during the Games, which will be held in Sheffield from today until Sunday.

Although Mr Rice, 30, is looking forward to taking part in the three events, he is also organising a first ever six-a-side soft-cricket match for transplant recipients, which will take place on Saturday.

Mr Rice was an avid cricketer and rugby player, but shortly after graduating from university in 2004, he was diagnosed with leukaemia. He had a bone marrow transplant in 2005.

“I was really ill and had to have three courses of chemotherapy, but ever since having the transplant I’ve not been back into hospital, aside from the usual appointments,” he said.

The transplant provided Mr Rice with a new lease of life – and he has since organised an 11-a-side Great Britain Transplant Cricket Club, which features a variety of organ transplant recipients from all over the country.

“We have a lot of very good cricketers, but we’ve had to tweak the game slightly to suit them,” he said. “We play shorter games and split them up, instead of playing 40-over cricket.”

As Mr Rice’s cricketers come from all over the country, the team only plays about four fixtures a year. However, one of the teams they have taken on was a transplant side from Australia.

“It’s a challenge getting everyone together, and so this is first time we’ve had enough to have a game of soft cricket at the British Transplant Games,” he added.