The former England captain Ray Illingworth has revealed he is receiving treatment for cancer. The 89-year-old, who led England to an away Test series victory over Australia in 1970-71, is undergoing radiotherapy for oesophageal cancer. “They are just hoping to get rid of the last bit [of the tumour] with extra double doses. I will see how these next two doses go, keep my fingers crossed and hope I have a bit of luck,” Illingworth told the Daily Telegraph. His wife, Shirley, died this year having had cancer and Illingworth has offered his support for law changes over assisted dying. “I don’t want to have the last 12 months that my wife had,” he added. “She had a terrible time going from hospital to hospital and in pain. “I believe in assisted dying. The way my wife was, there was no pleasure in life in the last 12 months, and I don’t see the point of living like that, to be honest. But we don’t have assisted dying in England yet, so you don’t have the option do you? They are debating it and I think it will come eventually. A lot of doctors are against it, but if they had to live like my wife did in her last 12 months they might change their minds.” Illingworth played 61 Tests between 1958 and 1973, taking 122 wickets and scoring 1,836 runs. The Yorkshireman captained England in 31 Tests, winning 12, losing five and drawing 14. An off-spinner, he led Yorkshire to three County Championships in the 1960s before joining Leicestershire after a contract dispute. He won four one-day titles and the 1975 County Championship at Grace Road. After retiring in 1978 he returned to Yorkshire in an off-field role but stepped back into action and, aged 51, led the club to the 1983 Sunday League title. He went on to become chairman of England’s board of selectors and coach of the national team in the 1990s.