Cricket: CD chief's departure shocks

Neil "Pods" Hood resigned on Thursday for personal reasons.

Some cricket stalwarts and fans in Hawke's Bay were shocked to find out last night that Central Districts chief executive Neil Hood had resigned from his position.

CD board director Phil Chandler last night confirmed, on the heels of a press statement from New Zealand Cricket, that Hood had stepped down, "effective immediately and for personal reasons", on Thursday.

"He had been on annual leave earlier," Chandler said, adding the board would hold a special meeting as early as next week to "plan our appraisal going forward".

"We've only had a chance to digest it as soon as possible," he said, emphasising there was urgency to find a replacement but because board members were scattered around the expansive CD catchment area it was imperative to find a mutually agreeable time with every member to convene.

Hood, known in the CD grassroots areas as "Pods", was appointed to the role midway through last year.

Asked if he wanted to pay tribute to Hood's input in his short term, Chandler said it would be "inappropriate" to do so and referred Hawke's Bay Today to board chairman Blair Robinson.

Robinson, of Napier, said last night: "Our position is the only thing we are going to say and can say is that he's resigned for personal reasons, as per the press release."

"We'll discuss the process to implement to find a person to fill the role."

Like Chandler, he didn't think it was appropriate to reflect on Hood's input to CD.

When contacted last night, Hood's cellphone message said: "I'm on annual leave. For all matters contact CD office as I won't be checking my phone or emails regularly."

In February, Hood had defended Wairarapa and Horowhenua-Kapiti to remain in CD's zone 2 of the Hawke Cup despite looking anaemic, after Hawke's Bay men's representative player/coach, Mathew Sinclair, called for restructuring of the tourney because the teams were struggling to offer decent opposition.

A former Horowhenua rep, Hood brought a regionally-acclaimed grassroots element with his accounting nous in a bid to help pull CD out of its financial doldrums.

He had reassured fans a proposal to redefine major association boundaries will affect CD Cricket but he didn't see it happening any time soon, amid reports Cricket Wellington were keen to woo Wairarapa and Horowhenua-Kapiti to boost their dwindling player numbers.

His predecessor, Hugh Henderson, also resigned without saying much.

It is understood former CD Stags player Ewen Thompson has stepped down as player/coach of Horowhenua-Kapiti as well as development manager of the region for CD.

The Wairarapa district CD development manager also is believed to have stepped down.