Ruth Strauss, the wife of former England cricket captain Andrew Strauss, has died at the age of 46 after suffering from a rare form of lung cancer.
Mrs Strauss was diagnosed in December 2017 and her husband had stepped down from his role as director of cricket at the ECB in October after three and a half years.
The couple had two sons together, 13-year-old Sam and Luca, 10. They had been married since 2003.
In a statement, Mr Strauss said it had given the family “huge comfort” that she has passed away in her home country of Australia and that the family would be launching a foundation to help people who are affected by cancer. He added that the family will miss her “terribly”.
"It is with great sadness and immense grief that we have to announce that Ruth passed away today as a result of her rare lung cancer," he said.
"Sam, Luca and I will miss her terribly.
"Anyone who has met Ruth will know how loving, caring and passionately protective she was of her family and it gives us huge comfort that she was in Australia, the land of her birth, surrounded by those who love her, in her final moments.
"We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to those that have helped with her treatment over the last 12 months, in particular the wonderful team at University College Hospital in London.
"Ruth desperately wanted to help those affected by this terrible disease and we will be launching a foundation in due course to raise much needed funds to aid research and also to offer support to patients and their families."
