Alastair Cook!! England cricket star weds his model girlfriend

England's Ashes hero Alastair Cook married his childhood sweetheart in front of his team-mates yesterday – then left the church on a tractor.

Alastair cook and His wife Alice Hunt

His new wife, model Alice Hunt, is a farmer’s daughter, and in the off-season the heart-throb cricketer shuns the celebrity limelight to help out on the family farm in Hockliffe, Bedfordshire, where the reception was held last night.

Among those attending the wedding at Stewkley Methodist Church

in Buckinghamshire were England stars Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann, Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Jonathan Trott, Tim Bresnan, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Steven Finn But it was not quite a full squad as star batsman Kevin Pietersen was absent.

Minister Jim Gorringe said: ‘It went very well. There were 225 invited guests, and quite a few other locals managed to get into the church when they heard about it.’ The couple  then joined dozens of well-wishers lining the streets as the happy couple shunned tradition to leave church on a tractor.

Cook, who scored 766 runs in England's successful Ashes campaign in Australia last winter, has enjoyed another memorable festive period this Year. He was shortlisted for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, won the Team of the Year award with England and turned 27 on Christmas Day.

Alastair cook in Tractor with his Bride

He and his international colleagues fly to the United Arab Emirates on Monday for the Test and limited-overs series against Pakistan.

Before the ceremony Graeme Swann tweeted: "Cookie's wedding list seems full of house and kitchenware rather than things he actually needs. Like a joke book."

Cook, who plays his county cricket for Essex, has made his name as an opening batsman.

Alastair cook and his Bride Alice Hunt

But his heroics in last year's Ashes series Down Under, where his heavy scoring helped England to a 3-1 win were arguably his finest hour so far.