Clive Lloyd joked that it was better late than never after being awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours list.

Lloyd, 75, joins a long list of West Indies cricketing greats to receive the award, including Sir Gary Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Viv Richards.

“I was told it was due to happen in 1985, but I was not a citizen of the UK,” Lloyd told the PA news agency. “But better late than never as they say.

“I have a CBE and an Order of Australia along with honours from the West Indies but this tops it all.”

“It was a surprise because I devoted over 50 years of my life to the great game of cricket which has contributed vastly to my upward mobility in life,” Lloyd, who now lives in London, said.

Llyod’s former teammate Gordon Greenidge will also be knighted.