Cape Town - Hashim Amla has received a major national award, the Order of Ikhamanga, for his contribution to South African sport.

The award seeks to acknowledge South Africans who have succeeded in the fields of arts, culture, literature, music, journalism and sport.

Amla is the first cricketer to win the award in 10 years since Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini, who were both honoured in 2008. 

Amla was named as a silver award recipient by the Chancellor of National Orders, Dr Cassius Lubisi.

Cricinfo quoted Lubisi as honouring Amla "for his contribution to the sport of cricket. He has brought pride to our country with his many batting firsts in the international cricket arena and remains one of the leading batsmen of our time."

A former Test captain of the Proteas, Amla remains the only South African to have ever scored a triple century in Test cricket. 

Now 35, he has 117 Test caps, 164 ODIs and 43 T20Is to his name.