Boasting a host of celebrity followers and more than half a million hits, Dan Whiting’s cricket blog The Middle Stump is enjoying a level of success he could only have dreamed of.

East Barnet-born cricketer Dan, 44, can name drop famous readers including former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, Radio One DJ Greg James and TV personality Piers Morgan – which is good going considering he started it just to try his hand at writing.

The blog, written by Dan and fellow cricket player Liam Kenna, offers an alternative view of international, county and club cricket. The site is so successful, the recruitment professional is releasing his first solo book – Characters of Cricket – about the larger-than-life personalities who make up the popular sport.

He says: “It’s one of those sports which does attract mavericks. I think people can have a read about those and a good laugh too.

“I have always played cricket and been involved in the game, so I thought I would give writing a go. I didn’t think it would actually take off,” confesses the Southgate Adelaide Cricket Club chairman who has played since he was seven years old.

It is the second book Dan has worked on and it follows Cricket Banter – a fun collection of comic stories from the game – written with his friend Liam.

However, the father-of-four recently had reason to step back from enjoying his success when a skin cancer scare turned his world upside down last year.

“It was horrendous. It became benign after the biopsy, but from that time you first hear the word melanoma you start waking up in the night and you have planned your own funeral three times,” says Dan, whose 14-year-old son Ben also plays cricket.

After his terrifying experience, Dan has pledged to donate a portion of the book’s royalties to Melanoma UK, a charity which helped him through his illness. He is also organising Pushing the Boundaries, a charity fundraising event on Friday, April 10, at the Walker Cricket Ground in Southgate.

He explains: “As someone who has had a recent scare it’s a charity that is very close to my heart. They were brilliant with me.”

Characters of Cricket is out on Friday, March 6. Details: thehistorypress.co.uk