Former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke was appointed an officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

“I’m not sure how to express the gratitude and honour I have today, for receiving such a prestigious award,” the former captain said on his Instagram page. “As surprised as I was to be seen in such light, and alongside some of my heroes, it makes me very proud to say that cricket has given me so much more than I could ever have imagined, and this is another example of why I owe the game so much.

“Without the support of my family, friends, fans and teammates, I wouldn’t be where I am today. This recognition and accolade is as much for you guys as it is for my contribution.”

Clarke was part of the Australia side which won the 2007 Cricket World Cup and went on to lead Australia to victory in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

The right-handed batsman represented Australia in 394 international fixtures (115 Tests, 245 ODIs and 34 T20Is) and has 17,112 runs (8,643 Tests, 7,981 ODIs and 488 T20Is) to his name.