Maia Lewis made her debut against England in the 1991-92 seasons and went on to play nine Tests, and 78 one-dayers, scoring 1372 runs at an average of 22.49. She made a significant contribution with her dynamic captaincy and was responsible for the development of several young cricketers on the international scene. A six-year absence, during which time she underwent a full knee reconstruction, ended when she returned to New Zealand colours in the 2005 World Cup (189 runs at 31.50) and went on the lead the side on their tour of India. Her superb leadership qualities made a significant impact on and off the field, and she was also known for her outstanding fielding.

She represented Canterbury and North Harbour in domestic cricket and was more than once the leading run-scorer for the State Wellington Blaze - since the introduction of the State League in 1998-99 she made 1578 runs at an average of 41.52. She was also awarded the Ruth Martin Cup, for being the best batsman in the 2002-03 season.

She announced her retirement from all cricket in September 2005, but remained involved with cricket in her role as a community cricket co-ordinator at Wellington.
Cricinfo staff