Sachin Tendulkar 4th non-Australian cricketer to receive Order of Australia honor

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar will be made member of the Order of Australia soon and hence will become the fourth non-Australian cricketer to receive it.

Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia while on a visit to a cricket clinic for children from the slums run by the Magic Bus Organisation, said, "I'm very pleased we're going to confer on Sachin Tendulkar membership of the Order of Australia".

Cabinet minister Simon Crean, who will visit India soon will give the honor to Sachin who is presently in South Africa playing for Mumbai Indians for the Champions League Twenty20.

"This is a very special honor, very rarely awarded to someone who is not an Australian citizen or an Australian national. He is away playing cricket - surprise, surprise - but the award will be conferred on him by minister Crean when he visits India. So a very special honor and a very special recognition of such a great batsman," Gillard added.

Before Sachin only 3 non-Australian cricketers have been awarded this award:

• Brian Lara was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2009.
• Sir Garfield Sobers was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2003.
• Clive Lloyd was made an honorary Officer of the Order of Australia in 1985.