Former England cricket captain and chairman of selectors Ted Dexter has been honoured with a CBE in the New Year's Honours List.

Affectionately known as Lord Ted, Dexter is finally rewarded for a cricketing career spanning more than 40 years.

At the age of 65, Dexter is still an influential figure in the gentleman's game.

He is the MCC's current cricket chairman where he is involved in shaping the laws of the game.

Speaking to BBC Sport Online about his CBE, Dexter said: "It was a complete surprise. I had no inkling at all. I thought my time had passed. I'm very pleased.

"I am very pleased because I have given a lifetime to cricket and tried to do my best. I am totally thrilled."

Dexter's playing career was illustrious.

His 10-year Test career began against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1958.

It ended against Australia at The Oval, after Dexter had made 4,502 runs at 47.89 in the England middle order.

He also took 66 Test wickets with his medium-pace.

Dexter was one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1961 and in the same season he led England to their first series win on Pakistan soil.

It took England nearly 40 years to repeat the feat, when Nasser Hussain's men triumphed in December 2000.

In 1964, he produced a match-saving 174 at Old Trafford against Australia.

Dexter also averaged the right side of 40 with the bat in first class cricket with Sussex and England, and dipped below the right side of 30 with the ball.

He also led Sussex to the first two Gillette Cup titles when one-day cricket was in its infancy.

This illustrated a tactical flair which led England's selectors to trust him with the captaincy in a clutch of series in the early 1960s.

But Dexter has not been on the frontline since the unhappy Ashes summer of 1993.

Nobility

During an eight-year stint as chairman of selectors, he oversaw the end of Graham Gooch's reign as captain, the appointment of Michael Atherton, and a 4-1 series defeat.

Dexter earned the aristocratic nickname Lord Ted during his playing days.

Born in Italy, educated at Radley and Cambridge, he had a lordly approach to the game.

For many he displayed a nobility at the crease that was all his own.