Captain Knight leads the list as World Cup winners are honoured
England cricket captain Heather Knight said she was “blown away” to receive an OBE in the New Year Honours and hopes the women’s World Cup winners will inspire the next generation.
National coach Mark Robinson also collects an OBE while bowler Anya Shrubsole, who inspired the victory against India at Lord’s, and Kent’s Tammy Beaumont receive the MBE. Clare Connor, director of women’s cricket with the England and Wales Cricket Board becomes a CBE, having previously awarded an OBE.
“When I was a young girl playing cricket for my brother’s team in Plymouth, I couldn’t have imagined that one day I would get an honour for captaining my country to a successful World Cup,” Knight said.
“It just shows what’s possible, and hopefully young girls pursuing sport today will see that it can take you places. It would be amazing if this honour made one girl think that she fancies picking up a cricket bat.”
Robinson dedicated his “humbling” OBE to the efforts of those around him, both on and off the field. “There is such a mood of change within our game and with been women’s sport full stop – it has been a fantastic year for it in terms of exposure,” he said. “The World Cup was brilliantly backed by the media and promoted brilliantly by the ECB.
“Because we played on good wickets, some of the cricket was outstanding and it captured the mood of the nation, to attract different people into the game and make it accessible for everybody. We have made great strides. We know there are some big hurdles to keep overcoming, but we are making some indents now and that is really exciting.” British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has been awarded an OBE in the Honours as have former Scotland rugby union captain Ian Mclauchlan and former referee Ed Morrison. Scotland and Lions doctor James Robson is awarded an MBE. Cardiff Blues flanker Warburton is currently recovering from surgery on a neck problem which ruled him out of contention for Wales’ Test matches in November and December. He has won 74 caps for his country and also led the Lions in Australia in 2013, when he became the squad’s youngest captain at 24 for the 2-1 victory over the Wallabies.
The 29-year-old was part of the Cardiff team which beat Toulon to win the 2010 European Challenge Cup, a first continental success for a Welsh club.
Eric Harrison, the Manchester United coach who helped develop the ‘Class of 92’, receives an MBE as does Paralympian Stef Reid. Nicky Henderson, trainer of the Queen’s racehorses, has been made a Royal Victorian Order Lieutenant (LVO).