National honours at 60

AUSSIE BOUND: Marton cricketer Allan Pond will represent New Zealand at the Australian National Seniors Cricket Championships next month.

Former Marton principal Allan Pond has gained selection to the first offIcial New Zealand team to compete at the annual Australian National Seniors Cricket Championships next month.

The 60-year-old former Marton Junction School headmaster was invited to play for Central Districts in the first New Zealand Over 60s tournament in Petone in February where he caught the eye of the national selectors. He, and CD team mate Brent Clements from Napier, gained selection to the national over 60s side to play in the Australian week-long championships from November 5.

In his younger years, Pond was a wicketkeeper, but these days regards himself as prediminantly a bowler. He is still a keen player and a vittal member of the Active Physion Marton saracens Premier 2 team that competes in the Porter Hire Wanganui competition.

In fact, Pond ended the match with impressive bowling figures taking five wickets for a paltry 13 runs in the opening match of the season to beat old foes, Wanganui Renegades.

"It was a bit of an upset, they are usually beating us," Pond said yesterday.

These days Pond is pretty much semi-retired working part time asn advertising representative for the Rangitikei District Monitor and also stands in as a driver for one of the local schools.

"I've played criocket since I was 7-year-old, so I've been at it for 53 years now apart from a couple of seasons off when my kids were young," Pond said.

"I still enjoy the game very much and like getting out there every Saturday during the summer. This will be my first time representing New Zealand the first time at the Australian National Seniors. In fact, we will be the first selected side to represent New Zealand at this tournament. There have been other senior teams, but not classed as national sides."