Persistence has earned Bay of Plenty's Sean Davey a place on Northern Districts Cricket's list of contracted players for the coming season.

The Tauranga-born all-rounder, who has joined the off-season exodus of kiwi players to the Northern Hemisphere, becomes the fifth Bay player in the association's 16-member contracted squad, which does not include current international players.

The 25-year-old, who has become something of a veteran for the Bay team, has been involved with ND at age-group level since the age of 14.

He made full senior debut for the Knights in the Burger King Super Smash T20 match against Otago in January, conceding 14 runs off two overs.

His arrival in the professional ranks with ND is a triumph over adversity for Davey, whose career progression has been hampered by injury.

'It shows strength of character and determination from Sean,” says Bay of Plenty Cricket's cricket development manager Tai Bridgman-Raison.

'Particularly after that injury it would have been understandable if he'd walked away from the game but he stuck with it, put the work in to come back and he's got the rewards.”

ND's High Performance Director Peter Zanzottera is thrilled to be promoting from within.

"Sean was outstanding at ND A level with the bat and ball and thoroughly deserves his opportunity," he says.

Davey joins Dean Brownlie, Daniel Flynn, Brett Hampton, and Bharat Popli as Bay of Plenty players on the ND contracted players list.

Mathew Fisher of Waikato Valley, who starred for the New Zealand team in the ICC Under 19 World Cup played at the Bay Oval and other venues around the country in February-March, has earned the final place on the list of 16.