Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 569 Sun. January 01, 2006  
   
Sports


Eng cricketers get New Year Honours


England's players and officials, who helped regain the Ashes in 2005, figured prominently in their country's New Year Honours list.

While Michael Vaughan, the captain, and Duncan Fletcher, the coach, have received Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBEs), the rest of the team, including Paul Collingwood who only played in the final Test at The Oval, have been conferred Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs).

"It was a great team effort and I'm really pleased all the players have been honoured," Vaughan told BBC Sport. Clare Connor, the captain of England's Ashes-winning women's team, David Graveney, chairman of selectors, and Phil Neale, the England team's operations manager, were also appointed as OBEs.

Marcus Trescothick, who led England in the one-day series in Pakistan in the absence of the injured Vaughan, said: "It's not something you expect to happen to you just for playing cricket.

"To be appointed an MBE by your country is a great honour and I think it shows just how much winning the Ashes meant to everybody," he told BBC Sport.

There have been the invariable omissions too, notably in the case of Troy Cooley, the bowling coach, who was instrumental in imparting the reverse swinging skills to the England attack that took such a toll among the Australians. However, Medha Laud, the ECB's administration manager, whose principal duty has been arranging itineraries has awarded an MBE.