TENDRING’S newly-crowned Male Sports Personality of the Year has spoken of his honour and delight after helping England’s cricketers win and retain the “Ashes”.

Clacton’s John Stuck was part of the country’s touring over-70s team that beat Australia 2-1, after three hard-fought 50-over Test matches Down Under.

He made an undefeated century – the 192nd of his senior career – in the first, at the Alan Border Oval, in Brisbane.

And after arriving back home, he said: “The elation in the dressing room afterwards can’t be described.

“The Australians were gracious losers but they were obviously very disappointed as they’d gone into it as firm favourites.

“I was very honoured to be selected to represent my country.

“During the national anthems before the first match, the reality of it all struck me hard and the nerves set in.

“Scoring a century was just the icing on the cake.

“A heavy thunderstorm ended the match with the game in the balance and we were lucky to be awarded victory on the fastest run-rate.

“We lost the second match at the North Sydney Oval by nine wickets and it meant we’d only taken three wickets in the first Two tests.

“Even one of those was a run-out, so we knew we had to perform better in the field in the final Test at the Manuka Oval, in Canberra.

“However, having made 271, we bowled well and fielded better to dismiss the hosts for 156.”

Stuck, whose exploits meant he was unable to attend the recent Tendring Sports Personality Awards, also played in warm-up games against Queensland and New South Wales.

“It’s a great honour to play for your country, no matter the level or age group,” he said. “My first introduction to playing international cricket was in November 2008, when I played in the inaugural Test match at over-60 level against Australia in Melbourne.

“The England party was almost a self-appointed one – there was no official selection – so the honour was somewhat dampened. However, it was exciting and we were pleased to win by nine wickets.

“I was made man-of-the-match and received much attention from the Australian media.

“Back home I was selected to play against the visiting Australia over-60 team the following season at Sunbury-on-Thames. Again, we won comfortably.

“Veterans cricket in Australia was then in its infancy but, since then, it has expanded to a point where they have inter-state competitions at over-60 and over-70 level, just as we have county championships at these levels in England.”