Former NSW and Victorian wicketkeeper-batsman Nathan Pilon retires after four years with Berwick

Nathan Pilon has called time on a cricket career that took in Shield matches for NSW and Victoria and selection in a St George team studded with Test greats.

Nathan Pilon behind the pegs for Berwick. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

It didn’t end the way he wanted.

The scoreboard spelled it out: “NS Pilon, LBW J Hammond 0’’.

Nathan Pilon failed to score in his final game of cricket, for Berwick against Hallam Kalora Park in a semi-final in the Dandenong District Cricket Association.

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And his team suffered a narrow loss, despite a fighting century from Matthew Chasemore.

The irony was that Pilon’s duck tailended a summer in which he pounded four centuries and 1169 runs in all formats. He averaged 48.7.

Nathan Pilon batting for Carlton. Picture: Angie Basdekis

There was to be no final, or finals, flourish for him or Berwick, with the 42-year-old confirming his retirement after the match.

“A lot of things are behind it, but mainly I’ve got a young family now and I’ve been going at it pretty hard for a long time now,’’ Pilon was saying this morning.

“It’s time to spend a bit more quality time with the family and have the weekends to myself.’’

He said the ball from Jordan Hammond was a “good one’’ and “hit me right in front’’.

“Couldn’t get away unfortunately, but them’s the breaks, mate. That’s cricket for you,’’ he said.

But once his head clears from a few Monday drinks the wicketkeeper-batsman will be able to look back on a superb career that took in much success and honours, as well as 10 first-class matches, first for NSW and then Victoria.

Pilon moved to Melbourne ahead of the 2004-05 season and was an outstanding player for Carlton.

Nathan Pilon poses for a photo during his time at NSW. Picture: John Grainger

There were 193 matches, 6561 runs at 37.27, 12 centuries and 39 half-centuries, 289 catches and 29 stumpings, and a call-up to the Victorian team. He played for the Vics in the Shield final against Queensland in 2005-06. There was a lot of keeping for him to do. As the Queenslanders piled up 6-900 (dec) Pilon’s gloves felt four new balls. It was his last Shield match.

Just as he was a Carlton great, Pilon’s record in Sydney Grade cricket for St George was similarly striking. In the 2002-3 season he plundered 1193 runs at an average of 74.56, with a highest score of 201 not out.

He was named as keeper in the club’s team of the century, alongside Arthur Morris, Les Favell, Sir Donald Bradman, Norm O’Neill, Brian Booth, Alan Fairfax, Murray Bennett, Ray Lindwall, Kerry O’Keeffe, Bill O’Reilly and Steve Bernard.

Not bad for a boy from Dubbo who headed to Sydney at the age of 18 to pursue his cricket.

“My goal was to play cricket at as high a level as possible,’’ he said. “If that was going to be Second Grade then that was it. But I was fortunate enough to go to a club like St George, which had some unbelievable names and quality people who helped me as a person and as a player. To be picked in that team of the century, with Don Bradman, Ray Lindwall, Arthur Morris … I think I was the only non-Test player in that team. It was a phenomenal accolade. I was blown away when they gave me the call and told me I was in.’’

Nathan Pilon watches on as Queensland great Jimmy Maher plays a reverse sweeps in the 2005-06 final.

Behind Brad Haddin as the NSW keeper, Pilon was encouraged to look interstate for more first-class opportunities.

He considered WA and SA, but with the retirement of Darren Berry he sensed an opening with the Vics.

Pilon had a few matches with Victoria — and many more for Carlton.

When he retired from the Blues, he chose to play at Berwick, where he was living.

Pilon joined the Bears in 2015-16 and in four seasons gave them fine service and gained much respect around the Dandenong association.

Competition president Michael Hawking called him a player of “immeasurable talent and a person of great humility and character’’.

Pilon said Berwick was a “major club’’ and he was happy to bracket it with St George and Carlton.

“I actually wish I’d gone there a bit earlier so I could have given a bit more to the club,’’ he said.

“But we had a really good group at Carlton as well and it was really hard to let go and walk away from guys like Tommy Smyth, Harrison Smyth, Nick Ross, Lachie McKenna. I really thrived on seeing them develop and helping them through that.’’

Nathan Pilon puts a pull shot away during his time at Carlton.

Fellow former St George player Graeme Rummans, who like Pilon represented NSW and Victoria, said Pilon had been an outstanding and enduring cricketer.

When he relocated to Victoria, Pilon moved in with his great mate “Rummo’’.

“Every club he’s been at, he’s been a legend,’’ Rummans said this morning.

“He’s had a fantastic career. To represent NSW and Victoria at Shield level, that’s a great effort. He should be really proud of himself. Country boy who moved down to Sydney from Dubbo to give it a crack … he’s had a great journey in his cricket.’’

Rummans said that while Pilon was highly regarded for his attacking and powerful batting, his wicketkeeping was “as good as anyone’s’’.

“Especially keeping up to the stumps,’’ he said.

“His work up to the stumps to spin or medium pace was as good as any I’ve seen. Had natural and clean hands. He was a beautiful keeper to watch.’’

He might have missed out in his last game of cricket. But in terms of runs and dismissals, for years Nathan Pilon piled them on.