England women’s World Cup-winning cricketers and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton have been recognised in the New Year Honours.
Skipper Heather Knight is appointed OBE having led England’s fightback against India in July’s final.
Bowler Anya Shrubsole and Kent’s Tammy Beaumont are appointed MBE, and there is an OBE for coach Mark Robinson.
Warburton, who led the Lions during the drawn Test series in New Zealand, is appointed OBE. “It’s pretty surreal – it’s not something I ever thought would happen at any point since I started playing cricket,” Shrubsole told the BBC. “I got a letter in the post telling me I’d received an MBE and my mum had accidentally opened it, so she knew a day before me.”
The 29-year-old Cardiff Blues flanker, who has won 74 international caps for Wales, was also the squad’s youngest skipper at 24 before the 2-1 victory over the Wallabies in 2013.
Also in rugby union, former Scotland captain Ian McLauchlan is appointed OBE, as is Ed Morrison, who was England’s first full-time professional rugby union referee. Scotland and Lions team doctor James Robson is appointed MBE.
In Paralympic sport, Stef Reid, who won a silver in the F44 long jump in London and Rio, is appointed MBE.
Former Manchester United youth team coach Eric Harrison is appointed MBE. The 79-year-old helped nurture the ‘Class of 92’ including the likes of Paul Scholes, the Neville brothers, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham.
England and Wales Cricket Board director of women’s cricket Clare Connor becomes a CBE, and Welsh cycling coach Alan Davis, who helped Olympic team pursuit gold medallists Owain Doull andElinor Barker as youngsters and rode with Geraint Thomas, is appointed MBE.
International Ski Federation secretary general Sarah Lewis is appointed OBE for services to sport. And four-time jump racing champion trainer Nicky Henderson has been made a Royal Victorian Order Lieutenant (LVO).
