Some thought it a cat-astrophe, others had to paws for thought, but the end result was still the same... Alec Stewart MBE is and remains a gong short of the top honour. Confused? So were we, but we can now clear up 2002’s greatest cricket mystery thanks to the eagle-eyed efforts of The Gaffer's greatest fan.

This most bizarre little tale all began so innocently back at Lord's before the opening npower Test against India when the England and Wales Cricket Board’s top brass honoured England’s wicket-keeper with the presentation of a commemorative engraved bat to mark his record-breaking 119th Test appearance. Nothing too untoward there, you might think, but that's without giving due care and attention to feline fecundity.

The ceremony passed largely without incident and was in the process of being dutifully filed to the bowels of the Channel 4 cuttings library when we were contacted by a rather distraught young lady from Sussex who was convinced there had been a terrible mistake.

Feline fecundity

Alec Stewart MBE, of the furry variety (far left and left).

Our eagle-eyed correspondent, it turns out, had spotted an ECB howler as the actual engraving appeared to have elevated The Gaffer's status to OBE rather than MBE. Now, we're not saying the Surrey man doesn't deserve such an accolade but Sue Walton - for it was her - was in something of a state.

Further enquiries revealed that her trusted feline companion, a thoroughbred four year old called Mr Alec Stewart MBE, Captain of England, 107 in Melbourne, and named, as you might expect, after her cricketing hero, was now in the throes of a classic identity crisis. ‘Am I MBE or OBE?’ was the general gist of it.

The least we could do was verify the engraving (which did indeed say OBE ) and then point this out to the correct authorities (the ECB) in the hope the whole untidy mess could be resolved, which it now will be.

What's in a gong?

MBE or OBE, blame it on the ECB

Having achieved all that we felt it only right to shed a bit more light on the emergence of Mr Alec Stewart MBE (of the furry variety). While the pictures speak for themselves the in-depth biography comes courtesy of Ms Walton.

“Our Alec was born in St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex on 11 April 1998, missing his namesake's birthday by only 3 days,” confirmed Ms Walton. “He still lives with his mother Ellie and three siblings but unfortunately his father, Tommy, who did live next door but one, moved away a few years ago.

“When my long time hero was named as captain of his country on 5th May that year, and awarded the MBE a few days later, our boy had his name. His full name, which he answers to, is Mr Alec Stewart MBE, Captain of England, 107 in Melbourne, and unlike some Big Brother contestants he is proud to be ginger, though he thinks of himself as a fine shade of brown, rather in keeping with his namesake's sun tan.

“From an early age he has demonstrated excellent ball skills and is the most agile and flexible cat I've ever known. He also has particularly large paws, and feels he would have made an excellent-wicket keeper if only he had some thumbs!

“He is exceptionally affectionate and quite conversational in his own unique way. Of course he takes great pride in his appearance, ensuring that he is always pristine with every hair in place. He pays great attention to his fitness, maintaining his sleek frame to purrfection. Apart from his excellent character and good looks he also feels that his great agility and large, soft paws are his finest qualities”.

Don't call me 'The Gaffer'

The similarities are uncanny, although Ms Walton was at pains to stress his disliking of informal nicknames.

“He most certainly does not answer to ‘The Gaffer’,” she said. “He prefers his full title, though he will respond to Mr Alec on occasions”.

Asked whether the two Mr Stewarts had ever come face to face she replied: “Unfortunately the furry Alec is not a traveller, so the two have never met, though I have been lucky enough to meet my hero a few times. The finest occasion was after the 3rd Test win in Colombo last year when we had a photo taken as Alec raised a champagne bottle. A very happy time for all”.

And she added: “A few years ago a friend and I made the mistake of taking our 80 year old mothers to a book signing that Alec was doing in a Surrey shopping centre. My dear mother announced to Alec "We've even got a cat named after you". Alec took it in his stride, asking "Is he a good cat?". I believe I responded that "He's a very handsome cat" before I got my mother out of there!”

Now fate has once more brought the pair together, in print at least, and thanks to the efforts of Ms Walton both the real and the furry versions of Stewart can now rest easy in the knowledge that the ECB has agreed to sanction a new engraving with the batsman's correct honour.

20 Aug, 2002