Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer awarded MBE in Queen's Birthday Honours list

The 35-year-old, who has also played county cricket for Durham and Northamptonshire, has represented his country 100 times, winning 52 ODI caps alongside 48 T20 international appearances

Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer has been awarded an MBE for his services to cricket in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The 35-year-old, who has also played county cricket for Durham and Northamptonshire, has represented his country 100 times, winning 52 ODI caps alongside 48 T20 international appearances.

"I’m shocked, surprised and extremely proud too," Coetzer told the Press and Journal. "No-one starts out their career looking for accolades and I never really expected this. I’ve always tried to promote the game of cricket wherever my career has taken me and it’s overwhelming to be recognised with this honour."

Coetzer made 58 from just 49 deliveries as he led Scotland to, perhaps, his country’s most famous win – a six-run triumph over England in June 2018.

After making a mammoth total of 271 batting first, Safyaan Sharif dismissed Mark Wood with just the fifth ball of the penultimate over to send The Grange into delirium, giving Scotland their first ever victory over England.

^{Coetzer's finest hour came in Scotland's win over England.}

Coetzer had already written his name into Scottish cricketing folklore, however. At the 2015 World Cup, he struck 156 against Bangladesh as his side racked up a first innings total of 318, although a Tamim Iqbal-inspired Bangladesh would go on to chase that score down for the loss of just four wickets.

He would end the tournament with 253 runs at an average of 42.16 – comfortably Scotland’s highest contributor with the bat.

Two years previously, he had made his maiden ODI century against Afghanistan. In the Afghans’ warm-up game ahead of the ongoing World Cup against Coetzer’s side, the captain made 79, reaffirming both his class and his side’s misfortune at missing out on the sport’s flagship competition.

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