LONDON, Dec 31: World heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis and England cricket captain Nasser Hussain were among those included in Britain’s New Year honours list announced Monday.

Lewis receives a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) and Hussain an OBE (Order of the British Empire).

Lewis lost but then regained his World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) titles in two fights with American Hasim Rahman in April and November 2001.

Lewis was born in London and later moved with his family to Canada, which he represented at the Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988, when he won gold.

But after turning professional he insisted on boxing as a British fighter and went on to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world by beating Evander Holyfield in 1999.

The 36-year-old has hinted that he may retire after his next fight against former champion Mike Tyson in April.

Hussain, who was born in India before moving to England with his family at the age of five, was handed the England captaincy after the disastrous 1999 World Cup and has since been credited with a major role in a revival of English cricket.

Since his appointment England have won their first home series over the West Indies in more than 30 years and their first series in Pakistan for nearly 40 years. They have also won a series in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Hussain will quit as captain of England at the end of the World Cup in South Africa in 2003.

The 33-year-old, who has been in charge of the side since 1999, said here Monday that he hopes to hand on the responsibility to somebody else after the next World Cup.

“I took over from Alec Stewart after the last World Cup and it would complete a natural cycle,” Hussain told The Sun newspaper.

“I don’t want to stay in the job too long. The World Cup would be a good time to step down and let someone else take over.”

Although he was unable to maintain that momentum with successive defeats against Australia and India, Hussain is regarded as England’s most popular captain since Mike Brearley in the early 1980s.—Reuters/AFP