Howzat for young cricketer as he receives MBE from Queen

The opening batsman’s prolific scoring helped the national team crush their opposition Down Under last winter.

England thrashed their opponents 3-1 – their first victory in Australia for 24 years.

Cook, 26, scored an incredible 766 runs in seven innings to anchor that victory and went past 5,000 Test runs – the second youngest batsman to reach the impressive total after India’s master player, Sachin Tendulkar.

The sportsman was presented with the honour at a Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony and afterwards highlighted that the national side are now the world’s number one Test team.

He said: “It’s been a fantastic couple of years for the England cricket team and for me to be here and get the MBE is an honour – I feel very humble to be given it.

“We’ve achieved some fantastic things – the aim now is to try and continue that success.”

The left-hander followed in the footsteps of England captain Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, England’s cricket coach, who have both received OBEs for their efforts in guiding the national team to victory against the Aussies.

Sir Gus O’Donnell, the country’s most senior civil servant, was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath by the Queen during the ceremony.

The chief mandarin, who is the Cabinet Secretary and head of the Home Civil Service, announced in October that he would retire from the service at the end of the year after a 32-year career.

The presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, Dame Jenni Murray, was also at the Palace to receive the insignia of her honour. Dame Jenni, who comes from Barnsley, received her honour for services to broadcasting. She started her career in BBC local radio in Bristol before moving to regional television in Southampton in the late 1970s.