Former White Ferns captain Maia Lewis thanked her family and colleagues after her inclusion in the Queen’s Birthday Honours’ List.
Lewis was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her contribution to cricket in this week‘s announcement.
The veteran of three World Cups said: "Without the support of my family and Cricket Wellington over my cricketing career to make a comeback after injury, she would not be receiving this honour.
“Huge pride of a great honour was the main feeling I got when I was told. It was a bit of a shock when I first received the nomination.
“It was totally out of the blue to get the nomination. Other players who have received honours are Emily (Drumm), who led us to the World Cup, and Debbie Hockley, who’s a superstar of women’s cricket.
“So I’m just proud to be picked alongside those sorts of players.”
Having retired from international cricket in 2005 after 78 One-Day Internationals and nine Tests, she now works as a community cricket co-ordinator for Cricket Wellington.
