Captain of the Year, Ricky Ponting receives the trophy from Brian Lara at the ICC Awards prior to the ICC Twenty 20 Championship on September 10, 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. ( Lee Warren /Gallo Images/Getty Images)
West Indian batting great Brian Lara was on Thursday appointed an honorary member (AM) of the Order of Australia.
The former captain announced his retirement from international cricket in 2007, ending a record-breaking career as a batsman.
But it's not just sporting prowess that has earned Lara recognition from the Australian government.
It issued a statement hailing Lara's "service to Australia-Caribbean relations by promoting goodwill, friendship and sportsmanship through the sport of cricket".
In particular, the award recognises Lara in his role as Sports Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.
"Lara has been pivotal in enabling cricket coaching workshops to be conducted for talented young cricketers," the statement says.
"By facilitating the use of Australian coaching staff locally, he has been the key to furthering a positive image of Australia in the Caribbean."
Over his 17-year cricketing career, Lara enjoyed a wonderful battle with Australia.
He averaged over 50, while scoring nine centuries—including three double tons—and single-handedly lifted the Windies to victory on several occasions, most notably in Kingston and Bridgetown in 1999.
The Trinidadian still holds the record for the highest test score (400 not out) and in the first-class game (501 not out).
In one-day internationals he amassed 10,387 runs from 298 games and holds the record for the highest number of runs in a single over in a test match (28 runs).
