Honours for Hussain and Lewis

Cricketer Nasser Hussain and boxer Lennox Lewis are among the sports stars recognised in the New Year Honours.

Hussain has been awarded an OBE, while world heavyweight champion Lewis has been made a CBE.

Former cricketer turned broadcaster Tony Lewis has also been made a CBE.

And in football, former England manager Graham Taylor receives an OBE, while Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister is an MBE.

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Cricket:

Nasser Hussain - OBE
Captain of England, he enjoyed four consecutive series victories between 2000 and 2001.

Australia and India have inflicted defeats recently, but Hussain has been widely praised for his leadership of a young team.

"This is great news," the Essex batsman said. "Everyone knows how much playing for England means to me and I'm very proud to have been honoured by my country in this way."

Lewis became a respected commentator

Tony Lewis - CBE
The first Welshman to lead an England cricket tour - the MCC in India, Pakistan and Ceylon in 1972-73 - Lewis is recognised for his services to sport, to broadcasting and to Wales.

Lewis retired in 1974 and became a prominent cricket commentator. He was appointed president of the MCC in 1998.

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Boxing:

Lennox Lewis - CBE
In November 2001, Lewis regained his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles in a re-match with Hasim Rachman.

Having lost the first meeting, Lewis showed his class by knocking out his opponent in the fourth round of their second bout.

Terry Spinks - MBE
A former British featherweight champion and 1956 Olympic boxing gold medallist, he has been honoured after a lifetime of boxing achievement.

"It's a lovely honour," Spinks told BBC Sport Online. "It's a close second to winning the Olympics. It will be a very proud day at the Palace."

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Football:

Graham Taylor - OBE
A legend at Watford, after leading the club to the top flight, he suffered his ups and downs as England manager.

Failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup led to Taylor being pilloried in the tabloid press - a fact he acknowledged when he learned of his OBE.

"I'm very honoured by this award," he said, "and like a lot of people, probably very surprised as well."

McAllister has enjoyed a successful year

Gary McAllister - MBE
The 37-year-old Liverpool and Scotland midfielder was a key performer in Gerard Houllier's successful treble-cup winning Liverpool team last season.

McAllister is enjoying an Indian summer after a successful career and he said of the honour: "I feel it is more to mark what has been 20 years for me in the game. It has made me very happy to receive it."

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Golf:

Max Faulkner - OBE
Faulkner won the Open championship in 1951 at Royal Portrush, the only time it has been played in Northern Ireland.

"It was marvellous, I was very lucky," said Faulkner, now 85, who has just celebrated the 50th anniversary of his Open win by giving his gold medal to the Professional Golf Association for their archives.

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Cycling:

McGregor: Never expected to become World Champion

Yvonne McGregor - MBE
A latecomer to the sport, she has won the 3000m individual pursuit at the British national championships eight times.

The highlight of the 40-year-old's career came in the 2000 Sydney Olympics when she took bronze for Great Britain in the women's individual pursuit.

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Athletics:

Dorothy Tyler - MBE
Olympic silver medallist in the high jump at the 1936 Olympics aged just 16, she repeated that feat with silver at Wembley 12 years later.

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Motorcycle trials:

Dougie Lampkin - MBE
The 10-times world champion hopes his honour will give the sport of trials more publicity.

"It's great to get this sort of recognition," said the 25-year-old from West Yorkshire.