A Dunedin man has made the ultimate declaration of love to his bride by promising to give up his first love — cricket.
On his wedding day, Sam Hawke put a public notice in the Otago Daily Times saying his marriage with cricket had ended for his "second and now only love" Georgia Hawke (nee Lentjes).
He told the ODT the message was all his own and he was not coerced into the declaration.
"It was about showing her that I would do anything for her — even give up watching cricket."
Mr Hawke said he decided to make the decision public to make it official.
"Everyone’s always given me s... that I’m going to have to give up one thing to get the other, so I thought if I’m going to do that I’ll make it public.
"I wanted to make sure it was the day of the wedding, so it was official divorce and new marriage."
"I need it in hard copy — not digital on the phone sort of thing."
Mr Hawke said being a fan of the game was a "tragic passion".
He remembered listening to Radio Sport all night when the Black Caps toured England.
His mother Roxanne said she had given up some of the best years of her life spending hours watching him bowl leg spin.
Mr Hawke said to give up something you loved for someone you loved, "you’ve got to feel it in your bones".
"You have to be like nothing else compares and nothing else compares to loving Georgia, even cricket.
"I wasn’t looking for a replacement, it just organically happened."
