Former England captains Cook and Beaumont knighted

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Former England cricket and rugby captains Alastair Cook and Bill Beaumont headlined sporting personalities in the New Years Honors List with both men receiving knighthoods from Queen Elizabeth II.

Cook, who has more Test centuries (33) and runs (12,472) than any other England player accrued during a record 161 Test matches, is the first cricketer to be knighted since legendary all-rounder Ian Botham in 2007.

The 34-year-old opening batsman finished his Test career in the best possible manner with a century against India at The Oval despite having declared there "was nothing left in the tank."

Former England rugby captain Bill Beaumont has been awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II. /VCG Photo

Beaumont – chairman of the sport's governing body, World Rugby – skippered England to the 1980 Five Nations Grand Slam as well as captaining the British and Irish Lions.

Following his retirement as a player, the 66-year-old became a much-loved face on BBC television, his avuncular style adapting well to captaining a team in Question of Sport.

"I am honored and humbled to receive this accolade from Her Majesty the Queen for services to rugby," Beaumont told World Rugby.

"I have always viewed my work in the sport as an administrator as that of a guardian, driven by a passion to do the very best I can for rugby."

Football did not miss out, with England manager Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane rewarded for the national side's run to this year's World Cup semi-finals.

England's coach Gareth Southgate (L) greets England's forward Harry Kane after losing their Russia 2018 World Cup play-off for a third place football match between Belgium and England at the Saint Petersburg Stadium in Saint Petersburg on July 14, 2018. /VCG Photo

Southgate, whose sartorial elegance in Russia saw sales of waistcoats rocket, received the middle-ranking Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) whilst Tottenham Hotspur sharpshooter Kane garnered the lesser Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Kane, who won the World Cup Golden Boot for finishing top scorer with six goals, said he learned of his award from his fiancee Kate just prior to a Premier League game with Southampton in early December.

"We got a letter to the house, Kate opened the letter," he told Spurs TV.

"Normally we'd talk a little but she would never call me just before the match. I had a missed call and she texted me 'could you answer?'.

"I thought something was wrong! But Kate was excited and told me that we'd had a letter from the Queen saying we'd get an MBE."

Another British sporting success story of the year Welshman Geraint Thomas received an OBE after winning road cycling's showpiece event, the Tour de France.

Source(s): AFP