Melbourne: Reduced to tears during his "horrific" battle with cancer, legendary English batsman Geoffrey Boycott said he was on the verge of sliding into depression during the long and painful treatment.

Six years ago, one day while shaving Boycott discovered a lump in his neck and in September 2002 his doctors revealed that it was cancer.

"Cancer treatment tough? It's horrific. It's the sort of treatment that reduces strong men to tears. And it did me. Many a time," Boycott was quoted as saying in Sunday Telegraph.

"I was so full of morphine I kept falling asleep. And then, when I woke, the relentless pain was still there. But in the end there are just two of you in that match: you and the bloody cancer.

"I would count my treatments like I once counted my runs. I had to have 35 laser sessions. 'Just get to 18,' I'd will myself, 'then you'll be on the home run.' You have to be mentally strong to keep the crying and the depression at bay.

"And all the time, through all this pain and fog, there is this niggling question at the back of your mind: will it work?" the 67-year-old said.

Boycott, one of the greatest English batsmen, still counts his blessings at having recovered from the dreaded disease.

The tumour on his tongue is gone and his prognosis is good as three months ago he got an all-clear from cancer.