THE next two months will be the most important time of Dominic Hewson's life.

The heart condition which forced the former Derbyshire batsman to retire from cricket in 2004 at the end of his third season at the County Ground has deteriorated in recent years.

Hewson, now aged 33, suffers from atrial fibrillation, which can send the heart into an irregular beat and can lead to an increased risk of a stroke.

It can be controlled through medication but Hewson's condition has worsened to the extent that he urgently needed an extensive heart operation a month ago.

The surgery has initially been considered a success but it is not until three months after the operation that he will find out for sure whether he has the chance to lead a relatively normal life.

"I was due to go to France for the operation in November but I really needed it before then and thankfully I was able to sort out a date in London at the end of July," he said.

"It was getting to be more and more of a problem, so that I had to go to hospital every couple of weeks to be defibrillated.

"The risk of other problems was increasing all the time and that was why I needed another operation. It was a lot bigger job than I have had before and hopefully this will have worked."

Getting the operation done quickly meant having to get it done privately and Hewson has been helped by the Professional Cricketers' Association in meeting the cost of surgery.

His two former counties, Derbyshire and Gloucestershire, have also helped out and without that support, he says he would have had to wait until November for his date through the NHS.

"Obviously, I am uninsurable because of my medical history but the PCA benevolent fund has given me all the financial help I needed.

"I cannot tell you how grateful I am for everyone who has given me this chance," he added.