England's Ashes-winning cricket heroes recognised along with London's triumphant 2012 Olympic bid management team

Published on Saturday 31 December 2005 01:46

THE England cricket team was rewarded for winning the Ashes.

Michael Vaughan, the England captain, and Duncan Fletcher, the team coach, were both made OBEs, as were David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, and Phil Neale, the tour manager. All the other members of the team were awarded MBEs.

Clare Connor, the captain of the England women's team, became an OBE.

Last night, Vaughan said: "It was a great team effort to win the Ashes and I'm really pleased that all the players have been honoured in this way. It's something we can all take great pride in."

The management team which successfully won the 2012 Olympic Games for London was also rewarded.

There are knighthoods for Keith Mills, the bid chief executive, and Craig Reedie, the Scot who stepped down as British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman in September.

Sebastian Coe, the bid chairman, is made a knight commander to add to his peerage, meaning he will now be known as Lord Coe KBE.

He said: "On behalf of London 2012 I'm delighted and proud that members of the bid team have been acknowledged in this year's Honours List. "Every member of the London 2012 team played a crucial role in taking the bid across the line in July. I am delighted that our efforts have been recognised in this way."

Other leading lights in the bid team are also honoured. There was a CBE for technical director Dick Palmer, better known as the man who carried the flag at the 1980 Moscow Games as the BOA's chef de mission; an OBE for communications director Mike Lee; and an MBE for marketing chief David Magliano, the brains behind London's dramatic presentation to the IOC in Singapore in July.

In other sports, Alan Mills, the former Wimbledon referee, is made a CBE. He became famous for his calm and measured handling of hot-heads such as John McEnroe.