Andrew Strauss and Geoffrey Boycott knighted by outgoing PM Theresa May
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English cricketing legends Andrew Strauss and Geoffrey Boycott received their long awaited knighthood after they were nominated by Theresa May when she tendered her resignation. Strauss is one of England’s most successful captains in history whereas Boycott was a personal favourite of the former PM.
Andrew Strauss and Geoffrey Boycott have received their knighthoods from Theresa May after she named the duo in her honours resignation list. The two enjoyed immense success with the national cricket team during their playing days and their services to the country in the field of sports have now been duly recognized.
Andrew Strauss was a prolific opener who scored 7,000-plus runs in a Test career spanning eight years in which he earned 100 caps. He also played in 127 ODIs, scoring 4,000-plus runs and captaining England in the 2011 World Cup. However, his most notable achievement was leading his country to back-to-back Ashes, with the 2010/11 triumph coming Down Under, a first for England in 24 years.
“We couldn’t be more delighted that Sir Andrew Strauss joins other giants within the sport who have been knighted for their achievements,” England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison said in a statement, reported Sportstar.
He also served as director of cricket from 2015 up till 2018, before stepping down from the post after his wife was diagnosed with and consequently died of breast cancer. He now runs a foundation in her name to support people with cancer around the world.
“Aside from his achievements on and off the pitch, Andrew is widely regarded as an exceptional person in our game and this wonderful accolade will be celebrated around the cricketing world,” Harrison added.
Geoffrey Boycott, on the other hand, was another stylish opener and one of the most successful first-class cricketers of all time. He averaged nearly 48 in a glittering career that saw him accumulate 8,000-plus runs in 108 Tests and is an inductee of the ICC Hall of Fame.
“Our heartfelt congratulations also go to Sir Geoffrey Boycott, honoured for his long career and passionate dedication to the sport,” stated Harrison.
May in the past has expressed her admiration for Boycott publicly various times, who was renowned for his ability to hold down the fort in the game’s longest format against all adversities.
“Can I just say that you might recall from previous comments I have made about cricket that one of my cricket heroes was always Geoffrey Boycott. And what did you know about Geoffrey Boycott? Geoffrey Boycott stuck to it and he got the runs in the end,” she had once stated while discussing the long-running Brexit negotiations.
