As the England cricket team look to regain some respectability in the West Indies tomorrow, their female counterparts had reason to celebrate in London this afternoon.

And what a fitting place for that to happen.

Here at Lord’s, the home of cricket, the England’s women team were rewarded for their glorious exploits in 2008 by being named the Team of the Year.

The key moment? Well that was easy. In February, in Bowral, Australia, they retained the Ashes with a 1-0 victory in the Test series before drawing 2-2 in a five-match one-day series.

If the men needed any inspiration for what lies ahead this summer when the Australians return to Britain for their own Ashes series, the women have provided it.

The women cricketers ended the year having overcome every opposition that they faced and losing just three out of 22 one-day matches. They won this award ahead of the England women’s rugby team who had secured the Grand Slam for an unprecedented third time and Olympic gold medal-winning Yngling sailing trio of Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson.

It had taken England 42 years to win back the Ashes when the women triumphed in 2005 and their achievement in retaining them Down Under was sensational.

Now they are seeking fresh glory back in Australia next month at the ICC Women’s World Cup.

Claire Taylor, one of the heroines of their amazing glory in 2008 that saw them triumph again today, said as she received the award from England Rugby world cup-winning star Lawrence Dallaglio: “It is brilliant to be recognised in this way.

“There are only four of us here today because the rest of the squad are in Australian preparing for the World Cup.

“We are really looking forward to it. We have played some cricket in the past few months (in training) and are looking forward to being on grass."

And as for the men in the West Indies? “I couldn’t possibly comment,” joked Taylor, who in 2006 became the first female cricketer to feature on a hall of fame board at Lord's.

It was here at this iconic venue that England’s women showed their power and strength in a year where every major player produced an eye-catching performance and records were smashed.

Back in August at Lord's, openers Caroline Atkins and Sarah Taylor combined to put on the highest stand in the history of women's international one-day cricket as England beat South Africa by 225 runs.

Atkins smashed 145 and Taylor 129 as the pair produced 268 as England reached 310 before Katherine Brunt followed that up with a five-wicket haul.

It was also hardly surprising that captain Charlotte Edwards was named the ICC Women's Player of the Year. That was 2008.

Now it is 2009, but the awards have not stopped coming as the team discovered today.

Also nominated: England’s women rugby union team and the Yngling sailing trio.

Presented by: Lawrence Dallaglio