Botham, not Becks to be honoured with great sporting Knighthood

Retired England Test cricketer Ian Botham has defeated former football captain David Beckham as a contender for the countrys great sporting Knighthood, which is to be conferred on Queen Elizabeth Seconds birthday.

London, June 15 : Retired England Test cricketer Ian Botham has defeated former football captain David Beckham as a contender for the country's great sporting Knighthood, which is to be conferred on Queen Elizabeth Second's birthday.

Botham, who received the OBE in 1992, has been chosen to be Knighted in recognition of both his outstanding Test career, and tireless work on behalf of Leukaemia Research.

So far as Beckham's rejection for the honour is concerned, sources reveal that former England manager Sir Bobby Robson had recently accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair of handing out honours "too lightly".

He was of the opinion that Beckham should not be considered for a knighthood for at least another ten years.

"He is a great role model and an ambassador for the game, something which played a part in London winning the right to host the Olympic Games in 2012," the Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

"However, on careful balance, I don't think those qualities on their own are enough to earn him such a high individual honour. David has played in three World Cups but, despite all the anticipation, England didn't come close to lifting the trophy, as the boys of '66 did," he had said at that time.

"Beefy", as Botham is regarded, was England's greatest ever all-rounder with 5,200 runs and 383 wickets to his name in a 15-year Test career that ended in 1993. He is also known for raising 10 million pounds for Leukemia Research.

Botham was suspended from Test cricket in 1986 for smoking cannabis.

ANI