Foreword by Mark Latham

It was 15 November 1995 when Ashley Morrison was given the news every man dreads: he had testicular cancer.

"I fought back the tears," he writes. "Cancer. Chemotheraphy. Radiotheraphy. These words seemed to be the only ones registering in my mind."

English-born Morrison was in his early 30s, a sportsman of some repute. Always fit. Always healthy. Now he had to face an uncertain future.

The title of his book - Please Sir, Can I have My Ball Back - sums up how he took to the battle with courage and humour.

Morrison tells how he came to realise that there is always someone worse off than yourself and how sunshine, friends and just being alive are more important than material things.

Morrison is now married and is back playing sports, working as a cargo manager for South African Airways and broadcasting sport for Perth Radio 6PR.

His life is happy in the extreme and while he will never get his ball back, he says he's firing beautifully on one!