sport news Former England spinner Udal opens up on his battle with Parkinson's disease … ... trends now
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Shaun Udal is resigned to never fulfilling his last great cricketing ambition.
‘I can’t contemplate even playing a game now,’ said the former England, Hampshire and Middlesex off-spinner who, four years ago, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
‘I can’t hold the ball because my hands would shake so much I’d be bowling long hops and full tosses even more than I used to!
‘I could probably bat for a bit to be fair but my ambition since being diagnosed has been to bowl properly again in a game before this gets too bad. I’ve yet to achieve that. I did have a couple of nets a couple of winters back and let’s just say they didn’t go too well.’
Udal, now 54, opens up in a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense way about the condition that has changed his life.
Shaun Udal (above) shares his experiences to raise understanding of Parkinson’s
The former England spinner found the transition to ‘the real world’ difficult after retiring at 41
He talked frankly and courageously to Sportsmail when he was diagnosed — receiving the news through the post — in 2019 and it is no different now this cruel disease with no cure has taken a stronger hold on him.
The good news is that he is suffering a slow progression of Parkinson’s and is still able to lead a reasonably normal life. The bad is that once he closes the door of his house in Basingstoke at night, the pain and loneliness, even with a loving and hugely supportive family around him, can be close to unbearable. ‘It is the loneliness of it all really because no one else can help you get out of this,’ he says. ‘If you break a leg you know you will recover and be up walking again but this is a lifetime thing and it’s not going to get any better.
‘It can be difficult for people to understand so that’s why I put out social media posts and will continue to do so. I know there are worse diseases
