Retired Whanganui accountant Michael Sewell has been rewarded for going into bat for Central Districts Cricket over many years.

Sewell was one of six new life members of the Central Districts Cricket Association inducted at the 2019 70th Annual General Meeting in Napier earlier this month.

Sewell's association with CD Cricket began in 1961 and when he went on to contribute across the field for the advancement of the CD game, including as a member of New Zealand Cricket's Hood Report committee that reviewed, revolutionised and brought the game forward nationally in the mid-1990s.

A former president and patron of Cricket Wanganui, Sewell represented Whanganui at Hawke Cup level between 1964/65 and 1966/67 as a right-arm off-break spinner.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Appointed as a trustee of the Central Districts Cricket Charitable Trust in 1990 and chairing the trust from 1993, he stepped up to serve as CDCA president in 2014 and has provided innumerable hours of service behind the scenes in the field of governance.

Sewell said he was "humbled and honoured" to be awarded a CDCA life membership for serving the sport that is his first love.

Other inductees included former Central Hinds and White Ferns captain Aimee Watkins, NZC match referee and former CD captain Richard Hayward, CDCA operations manager and former CD captain, coach and allrounder Scott Briasco, long serving retired CDCA administrator Gary Pond and sports psychologist and Professor Emeritus Gary Hermansson.

"As an organisation, we are extremely proud and fortunate to have enjoyed our long association with these six individuals," CDCA Chairman Mike Devonshire said.

"Each has made an outstanding contribution in their respective fields to the long-term success of Central Districts, and ultimately, New Zealand cricket.

"It's a pleasure to celebrate passionate individuals who have played such key roles in putting CD cricket on the map, whether on the cricket stage or, just as importantly, behind the scenes of our number one summer sport."