by Abhishek Mukherjee

2005.

The funeral of Ian Colquhoun, who kept wickets for Central Districts and New Zealand wicketkeeper and played rugby for Otago, was held at Palmerston North Boys High School, in front of a thousand people.

The day was marked by an unusual homage – not quite what you see at a funeral. There was a live haka performance. The attendees loved him. They loved the haka too.

Colquhoun used to be a signalman during his army days. Like any self-respecting young signalman, he used to send "I love you" messages to girlfriend Betty Parley, from Beacon Hill to Lyall Bay – using flags.

The First-Class debut came when he was almost 30. He played only two Tests (including the Test where New Zealand were bowled out for 26), scored a solitary run (in four innings), and held four catches.

He had a terrible dream the night before his Test debut, in which he dropped Len Hutton four times. Thankfully, his performance on the field was significantly better. In fact, his two catches in the Test were:

1st innings: Len Hutton c Ian Colquhoun b John Reid 11
2nd innings: Len Hutton c Ian Colquhoun b Bob Blair 3

And then there was rugby, when even made it to the All-Blacks trial. He became coach and selector in both sports.

But his greatest days were as physical education teacher and rugby coach of Palmerston North. He worked there from 1955 to 1983. In 1982, his greatest year, they won 29 matches and lost 2, scoring 716 and conceding 197. Three years before that they had become the first New Zealand side to tour Europe and North America.

His colleagues agreed that the students were like children for the childless couple. And they loved them back.

No wonder they did a haka in his memory. He would have loved it.

Ian Colquhoun was born on 8 June 1924.