The former fast bowler, who cut his teeth at Nirranda before ascending to first-class cricket with both South Australia and Victoria, is a now a father-of-three living in the Adelaide Hills.

Haberfield is now a police officer and has put the whites away once and for all.

"Life is all right, it's been a bit strange the last month obviously (with coronavirus restrictions) but I have no complaints," he told The Standard.

"I'm working full-time with the police, doing shift work. I have my wife and three young kids so it was probably time for me (to retire). I think it's been two years since I've played."

Haberfield burst onto the domestic cricket scene as a 23-year-old.

He debuted for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield clash against Queensland, bowling 20 overs as the Redbacks notched a 19-run triumph.

Now 33, Haberfield crafted a eight-year first-class career, playing six seasons with South Australia and two with Victoria and Victorian Premier Cricket outfit Footscray-Edgewater.

And he wasn't there to just make up the numbers. He claimed 101 scalps in 52 first-class, List A and state-level Twenty20 matches, securing a reputation as a prolific wicket-taker.

"I absolutely remember that time very fondly," he told The Standard.

"I had great fun. I did it professionally for eight years and being able to travel right around Australia and the world for cricket is a pretty good, fun lifestyle.

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"The wins and the trips are all highlights for me but the best part is that cricket is basically our summer sport in Australia.

"It's hard to get into it (professionally) but there are still a lot of people who do it for free every Saturday.

"I was one of those people who was lucky enough to play at the next level and go on with it. That was the beautiful thing about it, it was something I loved to do and it was great to be able do it as a job."

Becoming a police officer wasn't always Haberfield's plan after cricket. He considered the role after consulting close friends and hasn't looked back.

"Once my career was done, I sort of sat down and had a few discussions as I was asking myself 'what do I do now?'," he said.

"I've had a few friends who'd done it for 10 or 15 years and they really enjoyed it so I thought I'd give it a go.

"I'm really liking it."

While established in Adelaide, the south-west remains important to Haberfield.

Countless relatives still live and work in the region.

"There's plenty of family back there. A lot of my cousins are having children as well so we all have young families," Haberfield said.

"School has just started now but we'll hopefully aim to get down every once in a while to say hello.

"Some of them do come up to Adelaide. It's just good to see them - it's quite an extensive family.

"My youngest cousin is still heavily involved in the club (Nirranda) and my uncles and stuff like that.

"That's probably not going to change for a long time."

Haberfield and another ex-Redback, wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman, are potentially two of Warrnambool cricket's greatest exports.

Ironically, both started their careers at Nirranda, a club which still fields division two, three and junior male and female teams.

Brody Couch, a Victorian Premier Cricket ace who is vying for Victorian selection while at Geelong, is another who started his career at the club buried in dairy farming heartland.

Couch, along with Woodford export Tommy Jackson, is following a path laid by both Haberfield and Ludeman. Nirranda might yet add another first-class cricketer to its honour board.

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