STRAUSS TO BE KNIGHTED FOR CHARITY WORK

ANDREW STRAUSS is to be knighted for services to cricket and the charity work he has undertaken in honour of his late wife ruth. strauss’ on-field achievements include being the only england captain to have won an away Ashes series in the past 32 years — the 3-1 win in 2010-11 resulting in an OBE. He also oversaw the 2009 win over Australia — his first major series on home soil. As a Test batsman, he stands 11th in england’s run-scorers’ charts and seventh amongst its most prolific centurions. After retiring from an international career that comprised 100 Test caps and a further 131 in limited-overs matches, strauss, 42, moved into administration as england’s director of cricket and set the wheels in motion for this summer’s world Cup triumph by identifying Trevor Bayliss as the coach to revolutionise the one-day side. However, when ruth, the mother to his two boys sam and Luca, was diagnosed with an inoperable form of lung cancer, he reduced his involvement and stepped down 11 months ago. since her death at the age of 46 in december 2018, he has channelled his energy into fund-raising. The ‘Turn red for ruth’ day — the second day of the Ashes Test at Lord’s last month when players and spectators alike were asked to sport some red in their attire — raised £382,462. Andy Flower, who as england coach from 2009 to 2014 shared in strauss’s successes, said: ‘He was loved and respected in the dressing room by his players and the staff. i cannot think of a man more worthy of the honour.’ eCB chief executive Tom Harrison said: ‘Andrew is an exceptional person and this accolade will be celebrated around the cricketing world.’ strauss (above) receives his knighthood as part of former Prime Minister Theresa May’s outgoing honours list, alongside fellow ex-england opener Geoffrey Boycott.