Will Jacks reveals emergency surgery before career-best ODI haul

Will Jacks has revealed he needed emergency surgery for appendicitis last month before returning to take a career-best 5-22 in England's first one-day international against Sri Lanka. According to BBC Sport, the all-rounder's performance at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday also included an unbeaten 46, helping England secure victory after his recovery from an unplanned hospital stay.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgiBiROeznU

The 27-year-old had travelled to Edinburgh to celebrate his mother's 60th birthday when he became ill. What he initially believed was a stomach bug developed into a condition requiring urgent treatment at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Jacks described the rapid deterioration as frightening and credited NHS staff with looking after him. His initial recovery timetable was four weeks.

He returned a few days ahead of that schedule, captaining the England Lions against Sri Lanka in a warm-up match on 11 September. He then appeared in all three matches as England swept the T20 series against the same opposition. Jacks said he had only resumed bowling five days before his first game, having concentrated on restoring his strength and fitness following the operation.

The demands of bowling after abdominal surgery meant additional work on his core strength. Jacks said starting with T20 cricket, where his allocation could not exceed four overs, helped him regain confidence. BBC Sport reported that his ODI haul was the second-best by an England spinner. On a slow Chester-le-Street surface, he generated 4.3 degrees of turn, his highest figure in a home ODI.

His batting contribution came as England struggled to complete their innings. From 211-7 in the 39th over, they reached 265 in the penultimate over, with Jacks still unbeaten. He struck only one boundary in his first 43 balls. Jacks explained that a difficult start and wickets falling around him prompted him to reassess the target and prioritise using the remaining overs.

Jacks is also serving as Harry Brook's vice-captain for the Sri Lanka series while Jacob Bethell is absent. Having moved from opening to the middle order in England's white-ball teams 18 months ago, he said he now feels comfortable responding to different match situations. He contrasted that security with the earlier stages of his international career, when he felt under pressure to retain his place from one game to the next.