Former New Zealand cricket captain Martin Crowe says his recently diagnosed cancer is very treatable and he blames illnesses picked up during his career for weakening his immune system.

The cricket great, who retired from first-class cricket in 1996, has lymphoma – a cancer that begins in the immune system, says his latest health battle “is a comeback worth doing”.

Crowe, 50, whose attempt to return to first-class cricket last year was curbed by a leg injury, says he has grade two follicular lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins blood disease, which affected the lymph nodes in his neck, armpits and stomach.

“It is very treatable. It is not aggressive. Treatment will be decided in due course after further tests and consultation in the next two weeks,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Crowe said he was overwhelmed by the support and concern by so many around the world.

The support had enabled him to more quickly come to terms with the shock of the diagnosis.

He said that during his travels during his playing career, he had suffering salmonella and glandular fever, which had compromised his health.

Crowe picked up salmonella during a tour of Sri Lanka in 1984, which plagued him for years.

“The result of a weakened immune system over the last two decades is basically why I have become exposed to this sort of disease.”

He said the key to “taming” the disease was what he put into his body and mind.

“Adjusting to change is not new to me. My nutrition has been changed and my discipline has been stepped up. Most of all my mindset and fierce focus has kicked in just like it did when approaching a long innings in a Test match.”

Crowe is married to former Miss Universe Lorraine Downes.

“I am extremely lucky to have Lorraine and my family to guide me through.”

Crowe, who scored 5444 runs from 77 tests, turned 50 in September.

His 17 centuries are still the most by any New Zealander at Test level.