Published 23:42 IST, January 14th 2020
Former England skipper Andrew Strauss recieves knighthood
England cricket greats Geoffrey Boycott and Andrew Strauss have been given knighthoods after they found themselves on the honours list of ex-PM Theresa May
England cricket greats Geoffrey Boycott and Andrew Strauss have been given knighthoods after they found themselves on the honours list of former UK Prime Minister Theresa May earlier in 2019. Boycott and Strauss both received the honour for their services to sport after outstanding careers for England. Boycott was one of May's sporting heroes and the former British Prime Minister spoke of her admiration for his bloody-minded style of play on several occasions.
Andrew Strauss recieves knighthood
Boycott and Strauss, two of England's finest
Boycott, 78, was a polarising figure for his conservative batting and acerbic personality, but that didn't stop him amassing 8,114 Test runs at an average of 47.72 in an England career that ran between 1964 and 1982. He was forced to apologise in 2017 after joking that he would have to "black up" to receive a knighthood, pointing out that the honour had been bestowed on West Indian cricketers including Viv Richards, Garfield Sobers and Curtly Ambrose. Boycott was also given a three-month suspended prison sentence in 1998 after being convicted of assault against former girlfriend Margaret Moore. Former England and Middlesex batsman Strauss hit 7,037 runs in 100 Tests from 2004 to 2012. Strauss captained England to Ashes triumphs against Australia in 2009 and 2010/2011, the latter campaign making him the first English skipper to win a Test series on Australian soil since Mike Gatting in 1986-87. South Africa-born Strauss served as England's director of cricket between 2015 and 2018 before resigning when his wife suffered the lung cancer that would eventually lead to her death. The 42-year-old's time in the England hierarchy was credited with laying the foundations for the team's first 50-over World Cup victory earlier this year.
Updated 23:42 IST, January 14th 2020