Former Kent Captain and Club President Mike Denness has been awarded an OBE for Services to Sport in the New Year Honours List.

The 72 year old Scot was named in the latest list of those around the country that will be awarded in 2013 after a career in cricket that has lasted over fifty years.

As a player and captain, the stylish batsman served Kent with distinction for 15 seasons. In total he played 333 times for the county, scoring 17,047 runs at an average of 32.90. Mike scored 21 centuries with a highest score of 178 against Somerset, at Maidstone, in 1975.

A former England international, Mike played 28 Test matches for England – including 19 as captain. He scored 1,667 runs, including four hundreds. His best of 188 came against Australia, in Melbourne on the 1974/75 tour. He also scored seven half centuries and averaged 39.69 in Test match cricket.

Mike later played for Essex, before becoming Chairman of the Kent Cricket Committee and an ICC match referee.

Mike Denness commented; “I am absolutely delighted, and over the moon that this has come my way. I never expected this and it really is a great honour.

“This completes a thrilling year, during which I have served as Kent Cricket President. It really has been outstanding, there has been so much commitment from everybody; I thoroughly enjoyed Canterbury Week and all that it involved, and I will treasure the memories for the rest of my life.”

Kent Cricket Chairman, George Kennedy CBE commented on the announcement; “I am delighted that the Club President, Mike Denness has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours. This is richly deserved for all he has done for the game of cricket in so many capacities.

“Mike has made a great contribution to Kent Cricket, as a player, as Club captain, as Chairman of Cricket and then most recently as our President.  I am sure that all the Club’s supporters will join me in congratulating him.”

Denness was announced as the Club President for Kent County Cricket Club for 2012.