Former BLACKCAP and Central Stags paceman Lance Hamilton is to lead Central Districts Cricket as its new CEO.
Hamilton replaces Pete de Wet who has departed to lead Triathlon New Zealand, and steps up after having been the Association’s High Performance Manager in recent seasons.
Central Districts has been a big part of Lance Hamilton’s life for the past 25 years, firstly as a player.
Hamilton represented the Central Stags as a fast bowler from 1996/97 to 2006/07, also earning ODI selection to the BLACKCAPS in 2005.
He becomes the first former CD player to lead the organisation since Blair Furlong.
Towards the end of his playing career, Hamilton took on more responsibility as the Stags’ player/manager and, after retiring from playing, went on to become the team’s manager and assistant coach, and team manager for New Zealand A tours to India, Sri Lanka, and England for New Zealand Cricket.
Hamilton said he was both excited and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead Central Districts Cricket and its people.
“Having shifted here from Counties looking for cricketing opportunities way back in 1996, I never dreamed that those opportunities would still be presenting themselves 26 years on,” he said.
“I am as humble, proud, and excited today as I was back then when I made my debut for the Stags.”
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
