Cricket star Michael Clarke’s warning to Aussies as he reveals cancer scare

Cricket legend Michael Clarke has opened up on his latest skin cancer scare, in an effort to warn all Aussies of the dangers of the sun.

The 38-year-old sports star shared a photo of a stitched-up wound on his face after having another cancer cut out, with the cut sitting directly above his nose and between his eyes. Clarke has previously being diagnosed with three non-melanoma lesions.

“Another day, another skin cancer cut out of my face… youngsters out there make sure you are doing all the right things to protect yourself from the sun,” he wrote alongside the photo.

One of the first to comment was Australian swimmer Grant Hackett, who admitted he’d been inspired to book a skin check himself after reading Clarke’s warning. He commented: “You have made me book an appointment bro!”

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Singer Erin Holland applauded him for the post, writing: “Awesome message MC.. We need to be so vigilent,” while Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad also commented, simply calling Clarke a “legend”.

Clarke was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 2006, before going on to have several scares since then. Speaking about his battles, he told Seven’s The Morning Show previously that he now goes for check-ups every six to 12 months, The Mail Online reports.

He also appeared in the Cancer Council’s ad campaign in 2014, saying: “Aussie blokes and women need to keep a close eye on your skin, particularly look in those hard to see places, and familiarise yourself with your body.”

Clarke gave up the sport that made him a household name in 2015, after leading his country to their fifth Cricket World Cup Triumph.

He was rumoured to be making a return to the sport last year, following the sandpaper-gate scandal which led to the suspension of Steve Smith, Cameron Bancroft and David Warner, however he hit down those reports and has not returned to the field.

Meanwhile, he’s not the only Aussie to share a powerful warning on the dangers of sun exposure. Melanie Griffith, 62, shared a close-up photo of her face with the top of her nose completely bandaged up last year, revealing she had had dermabrasion to fix her nose following her previous surgery.

The star first had the skin cancer removed in 2017, before undergoing several procedures to fix her nose and the mark left there. She wrote: “Bandaged again after having dermabrasion, the final step to fix the now removed basil (sic) cell skin cancer.

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“If any of you have it, get it fixed. If you lay in the sun, are exposed to lots of sun, be CAREFUL. Use sun screen. Get checked out by your dermatologist. If you don’t have one, get one, or go to your nearest clinic and ask to be tested for it. More info to come!”

Her message followed similar ones from actor Hugh Jackman, 50, who has heavily campaigned for more awareness of the dangers of the sun, having battled skin cancer scares himself in the past.

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The actor was first diagnosed in 2013, and it was previously reported he had had cancers removed from his nose and shoulder.

In 2013, he spoke to Variety saying he had been treated for skin cancer after wife Deborra-Lee Furness told him to get a red spot checked out. “I’m a good example of making sure you get checkups and listening to your wife,” he said in the article.