Cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott, who describes himself as a forthright and frank Yorkshireman, has told how he used the ancient Chinese science of Feng Shui to help his recovery from cancer.

The 73-year-old was told he had three months to live after finding a lump on his neck back in 2002, but with what his doctor described as a "really tough" course of treatment he was given an 80% chance of survival.

The father-of-one, who had to break the news of his illness to his daughter on her fourteenth birthday, has revealed in his new book, how he tried alternative therapies during treatment that caused side effects so painful he said it made him want to scream.

"I was open to anything, just trying to find things to help me stay alive," he said in The Corridor Of Certainty, serialised this week the Daily Telegraph, adding that he also used acupuncture.

On the recommendation of his wife Rachael, the former Yorkshire and England batsman took on board the advice of a Feng Shui master on which direction he should face when sleeping, installing a water feature in the kitchen, and keeping a light on all day in the part of his home the master designated "a health area".

Throughout the intensive laser treatments Boycott had, he likened his challenging journey to a test match, partly crediting that line of thought with helping him get through it.

"I used to count my runs, how many an over we needed to win and whether we were above or below the asking rate. I went about it exactly the same way when I had my treatment ... I then felt I was heading for the finish line."

Boycott, who has since recovered, retired from cricket in 1985 having collected 108 caps and hit more than 8,000 Test runs, including 22 Test centuries.

He was awarded the OBE in 1980, but was later barred from Test Cricket for joining the first rebel tour to South Africa in 1981.

He returned, briefly, to the international fold but made his last appearance for England against India in 1982.