Levin resident Thomas (Tom) Pritchard, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Friday, is New Zealand's oldest living first-class cricketer with a 200-game career in New Zealand and England.
Pritchard, known for his post-war career in Warwickshire, only represented New Zealand once - on his birthday on March 10, 1939 - a day he said he will always cherish.
At the start of WWII, Pritchard headed to Egypt and Italy with the New Zealand forces, and after the war had planned a quick trip to England.
Only 15 days after arriving in England he met future wife Mavis and three weeks later they were married.
Pritchard said he had intended on heading back to New Zealand before meeting Mavis, a plan that was delayed for 41 years.
"She was a lovely girl, she was," Pritchard said.
"I was then signed by Warwickshire for five years, they didn't even interview me."
Pritchard had a highly successful cricket career over several seasons, his best year in 1948 taking 172 wickets at an average of 18.75.
In 1951 he played a big part in Warwickshire's unexpected County Championship success.
Pritchard still holds the club record for his three hat-tricks for the county during his career where he took 818 first-class wickets and remains one of New Zealand's leading first-class wicket takers.
During a holiday in New Zealand in 1986, Pritchard and his late wife Mavis surprised their children by purchasing a small farmlet in Horowhenua and making the decision to retire in New Zealand, a long-awaited move for Pritchard who had missed his home country.
"The best part about moving back to New Zealand was having my family move here with me," he said.
Pritchard said family has always been the most important thing to him.
His grandson, David Meiring, has followed in his footsteps, playing first-class cricket for Central Districts.
Only days before Pritchard reached his 100th birthday his grandson pipped him to the post reaching his own ton, winning a two-day title for Marist.
Pritchard said he has always had a bit of a friendly rivalry with his grandson.
"He just got in ahead of me," he said.
A biography, Tom Pritchard: Greatness Denied by Paul Williams, was published in 2013.