Long Covid: Cricketer George Garton on his recovery from after-effects of virus

George Garton says he has had to relearn to breathe after seven months of Covid.

Garton took 3-7 in Southern Brave's win over Welsh Fire on Monday, but had to come off the field as he continues to battle the long-term effects of the virus.

I came back from Barbados and was dead last in fitness tests. He told the radio station that it's not him to be that way.

I went to see a doctor. She told me to do a little exercise to make sure I was breathing correctly.

It makes you tired and fatigued when you don't have air to the bottom of your lungs.

I was given a few breathing exercises to do before I went to bed to strengthen my lungs and teach me to breathe again.

I could incorporate it into exercise once I was confident that I could do it.

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Garton was able to play for Sussex throughout the summer and now with Southern Brave in The Hundred, though he still feels the effects of the virus.

Garton was off the field with symptoms after he set the platform for victory.

Garton said that he felt the symptoms after fielding on the boundary. It can be very overwhelming when it gets like that.

Your body is doing funny things. Hyperventilating is almost like that.

I know when it's bad so I took myself off and looked after my heart and lungs because it doesn't get any better from there.

I sat down and tried to bowl but it was the fielding that was the problem. I told James that I could bowl, but it would be at 80%.

He told me that he wanted to look after me and that it was a competitive game. We decided to stay off the field.

Garton is trying to manage his fitness by wearing a heart monitor, despite the impact of the virus.

I don't think it affects my technique at all. He said that it doesn't affect his flexibility.

The sports cardiologist told me to keep my heart rate at 175 beats per minute when I exercise. I don't modify training too much because I need to practice.

It's been difficult at the beginning of the summer. It's been about seven months since I thought I was done, but it's still doing tricks. I feel better but I have to manage my workload, make sure I'm in top shape, and make sure I'm ready to play.