He has been known as Lord Ted for years but flamboyant former Sussex cricket captain Ted Dexter now has a real honour.

The 65-year-old, who also captained England and served as chairman of selectors, today becomes a CBE for services to cricket.

He was one of Wisden's cricketers of the year in 1961 and led Sussex to its first trophies, winning the Gillette Cup twice when the one-day game was in its infancy.

In a ten-year Test career that began in 1958 he won 62 caps, making 4,502 runs and taking 66 wickets.

He has not been on the cricketing frontline since he stopped being chairman of selectors in 1993, although he still chairs the MCC's Cricket Committee.

Mr Dexter, who now lives at Ascot, in Berkshire, said the CBE was a shock.

He said: "Somebody must have given me a good mark and put my name forward.

He said: "There were al lot of others who I played with I feel rather missed out, so perhaps this in a rather nice way is something for them as well."