New Zealand Cricket's chief executive Christopher Doig caused a shock on the sporting front when announcing today that he is stepping down from his position from the end of March.

Christopher Doig at media conference to announce resignation effective from March

He announced his decision at a specially convened news conference after today's meeting of the NZC board in Christchurch.

He is taking up a position with international sports management group, Sporting Frontiers NZ Ltd. The company is backed by a substantial British-based company Pacific Investments PLC.

Doig announced his intention to resign to NZC board chairman Sir John Anderson last week and decided to inform the board of NZC at its meeting today.

Anderson said: "Christopher Doig will undoubtedly be a loss to NZC. His five years as chief executive have seen a period of unprecedented growth in the structures and business fortunes of NZC, building on the recommendations adopted in the Hood Report.

"He leaves NZC in a much stronger position in financial terms, with an improved player depth, an enhanced structure and a five-year strategic vision designed to invest much needed resource into grassroots cricket."

Anderson said that under, Doig NZC's turnover has grown from $6.9million to $22million a year. Sponsorship has trebled and the commercial contracts have flourished.

"Perhaps Christopher Doig's greatest legacy to NZC will be the development of the NZ Cricket Academy and High Performance Centre with facilities widely accepted as being the best of their kind in the world of cricket.

"Internationally Chris is highly regarded by his peers in the cricket community. He has worked over several years to gain acceptance for a 10-year international cricket playing schedule, which was finally adopted earlier this week."

Doig said his new position provided an exceptional opportunity for him to use his commercial skills in a wider context of Sport and the Arts.

"I have completed five years in the role of chief executive and have always felt this was roughly the right time frame for this position. It is always good for a person and an organisation to find new challenges and be challenged by new ideas.

"My successor at NZC will have a strong management team supporting him who will work with the board to ensure a smooth and effective transition is achieved.

"NZC is in good heart on and off the field and for the first time in the history of NZC both the men's and women's teams have won a multi-nation international competition in winning the CricInfo Women's World Cup and the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Kenya," he said.

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