The Naenae Express Ewen Chatfield retires from club cricket at 68
Ewen Chatfield, aka The Naenae Express, has finally run out of steam.
The 68-year-old on Saturday played his last game of cricket for his beloved Wellington club Naenae Old Boys.
But his hopes of a first ever century eluded him one final time - he was out first ball for a "golden duck" .
Although he was best known as a miserly bowler, he made little secret of his desire to score a century.
His career finished at the same place where it started in February 1968, Naenae Park.
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On Saturday, batting at 11 for a lower grade side against Eastern Suburbs, he could not better his top score of "50 something" against Eastbourne many years ago.
"I got a golden duck but don't put that in the paper," he said afterwards.
Earlier, an emotional Chatfield fought back tears as he said that after playing for the New Zealand over 60s in Australia last year, he knew it was the end.
"It might seem silly but I have standards, even at 68, and if I can't play to those standards I thought it is time to flag it."
The man ironically known as "Chatty" (he is a man of very few words) rose to prominence opening the bowling for New Zealand alongside Richard Hadlee.
What a lot of cricketing fans do not realise is that Chatfield had never stopped playing for his beloved Naenae.
He continued trundling medium pacers on Naenae Park and regularly played in veterans tournaments.
Although his team looked well beaten, a late rally resulted in an unexpected win.
"We just had a fantastic win," he said. "We needed seven off the last over chasing 236 and we got it off the last ball."
As for his bowling, that had not gone so well. "I got slogged all over the park. I got smashed."
As modest as ever, Chatfield only told his club mates he was retiring after the game.
"I feel alright, having a win helps."
Chatfield often appeared embarrassed by his fame but he is remembered fondly by fans as a bowler with unnerving accuracy, who always gave 100 per cent and played in a New Zealand team many fans rate as our best.
It was not his bowling, however, that first made Chatfield a household name.
In 1975, he made one of the most dramatic test debuts in international sport.
Playing an England team that had suffered a mauling in Australia, Chatfield strode to the wicket with New Zealand nine for 140.
Known as a tailender with few pretensions as a batsman, Chatfield teamed up with Geoff Howarth to defy the English attack for 44 runs.
In an era where there were no helmets, English seamer Peter Lever decided the best way to remove the tailender was a bouncer.
Unable to get out of the way, Chatfield was knocked unconscious after suffering a sickening blow to the head.
Only the quick intervention of English physiotherapist Bernard Thomas saved his life.
The image of a prone Chatfield went all over the world and led to a debate about the rights and wrongs of bowling bouncers at tailenders.
His injury could have ended his career but instead he went on to play for Wellington and New Zealand for the next decade.
Ten years later he featured in one of New Zealand's greatest test wins, scoring 21 not out against Pakistan.
Chatfield joined Jeremy Coney after Lance Cairns was assisted off with a horrible blow to the skull, courtesy of a Wasim Akram bouncer.
The pair captured the nation's attention scoring the 50 needed for victory with Chatfield bravely facing a barrage of bouncers.
Perhaps his greatest cricketing achievement came not for New Zealand but for Wellington at the Hutt Rec.
Chatfield destroyed a powerful West Indies side featuring greats like Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Lawrence Rowe and Michael Holding, taking 13 wickets.
He even suggested a heading for our story.
"The Naenae Express has run out of steam, I would not mind that as a heading."
Looking back on his career, he had no hesitation in nominating his partnership with Coney to defeat Pakistan as the highlight.
Former Wellington team-mate and New Zealand medium pacer Gavin Larsen said watching Chatfield bowling with Hadlee was a memory he would always cherish. He based his bowling action and approach to the game on Chatfield, who was miserly in giving up runs.
Larsen said he was not surprised that Chatfield had remained a popular figure.
"First and foremost I am a Wellingtonian at heart and Chats would be the most loyal club cricketer I know. To think he is only now signing off playing for Naenae is just staggering."
His personality had also added to his popularity, Larsen said.
"I have never met anyone, who said he did not like Chats."
News of his retirement spread quickly on social media. amongst those who commented was former White Sox captain Naomi Shaw.
"I can't believe Chats has been playing for so long...such a nice guy and humble person. I love the loyalty to Naenae Cricket Club. It's something not often seen these days. Happy retirement Chats! You have certainly earned it."
MY CRICKETING HERO
By Nicholas Boyack
Milkshakes and a Morris 1100. That is how I always remember Ewen Chatfield, who was my first cricket coach nearly 50 years ago.
Chatfield arrived at the Naenae Cricket Club from Dannevirke in1968 without a big reputation and little to suggest he would go on to become a cricketing great.
My memories of him as a coach have little to do with cricket. He enjoyed milkshakes and with transport hard to arrange, we would all pile into his Morris 1100 and head off to play.
He first made his name playing for Hutt Valley in what was then the Hawke Cup. At a level below first-class, Chatfield was devastating and soon worked his way into the Wellington side.
Despite all he achieved for Wellington and New Zealand, Chatfield was always loyal to Naenae. He enjoyed his nickname, The Naenae Express, and was never tempted to play for more a prestigious Wellington club.
One of the aspects that made his career unique was that he was largely free from injury. During winter he played football for the local club and at the start of the cricket season, he would arrive at Naenae Park and bowl hundreds of deliveries in the practice nets.
Although he played along side Richard Hadlee, Jeremy Coney, Ian Smith and Martin Crowe, Chatfield did not like to talk about his exploits on the international arena. Instead he was happiest playing club cricket with his mates.
In recent years he has worked as a taxi driver and is often seen at Wellington Airport. Cricket mad Indian fans, who still recognise him due to his exploits with Hadlee, express amazement that a cricket icon is driving a taxi.
They would be even more impressed if they saw him playing on the same suburban ground, he first made his name on 50 years ago.
- Nicholas Boyack