Cricket: Big-hitter How leaves a mark

Jamie How. Photo / Getty Images

Jamie How frees his arms and slashes another pull shot through mid-wicket for four.

He's on his way towards scoring one of the best one-day international hundreds you'll see and it's coming at his adopted home ground of McLean Park in Napier in 2008.

How was eventually run out for 139 from 116 balls as New Zealand tied a thrilling encounter with England as both sides finished on 340. It was his finest knock in New Zealand colours.

The story goes that his thunderous pull shot once tore a net down during a training session on a tour of India with the Black Caps, such was his power.

How will play his final professional match in today's Ford Trophy decider between Central Districts and Auckland at Colin Maiden Park. It brings the curtain down on a career that began in the 2000-01 season.

His numbers at international level probably weren't what he wanted but he racked up huge scores on the domestic scene for CD.

The 33-year-old is also the only player to be part of a 400-run partnership in first-class cricket, a 300-run stand in a 50-over List A game and a 200-run partnership in a Twenty20 game.

When How got in, his pull shot wasn't far away from coming out.

"Best pull shot in the game," said Peter Ingram, How's former opening partner with Central Districts.

It was something that stuck in the mind of Black Caps coach Mike Hesson, who coached How for three years with the national A side.

"His pull shot was fearsome and he played pace particularly well," Hesson added.

Playing in the green and gold of CD or the green of Manawatu was where How produced his most dominant performances. Arguably his greatest was the 428-run partnership with Ingram against Wellington in 2009 as they pushed CD towards a nine-wicket win chasing 445 in the fourth innings.

The partnership was the 11th-equal largest for the first wicket in first-class history and the biggest in New Zealand. How made 176 but played second fiddle to Ingram's unbeaten 245.

"He was just charging down the wicket and whacking them, so you just decided to go along for the ride," How said.

There was also a crisp 224 for Manawatu during a successful Hawke Cup defence in a three-day match in 2010 against a Bay of Plenty bowling attack that included the Boult brothers, Trent and Jono. And don't forget the 222 from 138 balls for CD against Northern Districts in a 50-over match in Hamilton in 2013 as he became the first player in New Zealand to score a double hundred in a one-day game - Jono Boult was again in the opposition.

How, who started in a marketing role with Toyota in Palmerston North this week, made his international debut in 2005 and played in all three formats for New Zealand. He was also in the 2011 World Cup squad.

"Playing for New Zealand was a privilege and definitely any success you had at national level was special," he said.

How said he would retire with few regrets as he had been given the chance to play against some of the game's greats and tour the world.

"You train your best, you do what you think is right at the time and in your training," he said.

"You train as hard as you can and there certainly wasn't any stone left unturned, or what I thought at the time was the right method and the way to do things."

One thing is certain though, he mastered that pull shot.