England legend Anderson 'missed out on knighthood due to fears of sledging during the Ashes'

England cricket legend Jimmy Anderson ‘missed out on knighthood in the New Year Honours list due to fears of Australia SLEDGING in the Ashes!’

  • Officials believed it would be unwise to honour him while he was still playing
  • Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Tests last summer
  • England’s leading wicket-taker is likely to be made a ‘Sir’ after he retires

England’s record wicket taker Jimmy Anderson reportedly missed out on a knighthood in the New Year Honours list due to fears of Australia sledging during the Ashes series.

Officials believed it would be unwise for the 38-year-old bowler to be honoured while he was still playing, according to The Times.

There were fears the Australians might attempt to the use the situation to unsettle Anderson during the Ashes later this year.

England’s leading wicket-taker James Anderson is likely to be honoured after he retires

England’s leading wicket-taker James Anderson is likely to be honoured after he retires

‘I don’t think we’d send out Jimmy Anderson to face the Australians with a knighthood,’ a source was quoted by The Times.  

The decision to award MBEs and OBEs to all 12 of England’s Ashes-winning team of 2005 came back to haunt them during the 5-0 series whitewash down under in 2006/2007.

Paul Collingwood, who appeared only in the final Test of the 2005 series, scoring 7 and 10, was widely ridiculed for his gong, with one stadium announcer welcoming him to the crease with the jibe ‘Paul Collingwood MBE’.

The 38-year-old became the first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Tests last summer

The 38-year-old became the first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Tests last summer

Aussie spinning legend Shane Warne added to the insults by writing on social media: ‘Hahahaha #MBE for 0 & 7.’

Anderson became the first fast bowler to take 600 wickets in Tests last summer and it is understood that he will be awarded a knighthood for his services to the game. 

Alastair Cook, England’s leading Test run-scorer, was knighted in the New Year Honours in 2019 but only after he had retired from the international arena. 

F1 champion Lewis Hamilton was awarded a knighthood on the New Years Honours list while Rugby legend Rob Burrow, Tennis player Anne Keothavong and England’s 1966 World Cup winners Jimmy Greaves and Ron Flowers were given MBEs. 

The decision to honour all of England's Ashes-winning team of 2005 came back to haunt them

The decision to honour all of England’s Ashes-winning team of 2005 came back to haunt them

source: dailymail.co.uk