Tuesday 10 September 2019 10:58, UK
English cricketing greats Geoffrey Boycott and Andrew Strauss have been given knighthoods in former Prime Minister Theresa May's resignation honours list.
The pair will be recognised for their services to sport after long and successful careers at international and county level.
Yorkshire opener Boycott is May's sporting hero and last year she famously compared her Brexit strategy to a Boycott innings.
He played 108 Tests between 1964 and 1982, scoring 8,114 runs at an average of 47.72 - the first England player to reach 8,000.
Boycott averaged 56,83 for his first-class career with 151 centuries and over 48,000 runs in all - memorably scoring his 100th century in an Ashes Test against Australia in 1977. Now 78, he still commentates on cricket.
Fellow opener Strauss played for Middlesex and England, scoring 7,037 runs in 100 Tests.
He was a member of the 2005 Ashes-winning team and went on to captain his country; one of the few England skippers to win Ashes series at home and away, he also led the team to number one spot in the ICC world rankings.
Post-retirement he had a spell as director of England cricket, instigating the emphasis on the one-day game which ended in a World Cup success this summer.
Following the sad death of his wife Ruth from a rare form of lung cancer, Strauss set up The Ruth Strauss Foundation, and Lord's turned red for this year's Ashes Test against Australia in aid of the charity.
England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison said: "We couldn't be more delighted that Sir Andrew Strauss joins other giants within the sport who have been knighted for their achievements.
"He finished his playing career in 2012, having scored over 17,000 first-class runs for Middlesex and England.
"In May 2015, Andrew was invited to join the ECB as director, England cricket, to shape the future strategy of the men's international teams - in part to enable an environment that would see England as live contenders for the World Cup in 2019, an aim they so thrillingly delivered on just a few short months ago.
"Aside from his achievements on and off the pitch, Andrew is widely regarded as an exceptional person in our game and this wonderful accolade will be celebrated around the cricketing world.
"Our heartfelt congratulations also go to Sir Geoffrey Boycott - honoured for his long career and passionate dedication to the sport."
