BOLTON cricket veteran Jon Partington represented the north of England in a recent international over-50s tournament in Sri Lanka.

The wicketkeeper, who still plays at Westhoughton Cricket Club where he is first-team manager, played in three of the six competitive matches in the inaugural competition which also featured three teams from the host nation, and one each from Pakistan and the south of England.

Partington, aged 53, from Blackrod, also played in a friendly match against the other England side, scoring 28, 20, 10 and six in his four games as well as taking a catch and a stumping.

His best moment was scoring 28 on the Test match ground at Galle.

"That was great," he said. "A fantastic memory for me and quite humbling because that was where the Tsunami hit.

"We won three of the six competitive games which was pretty good considering the quality of the teams we were up against.

"Pakistan had a good side and they were beaten by one of the Sri Lanka teams in the final.

"It was hard, though, with the heat and humidity which meant the games were only 30 overs.

"We couldn't have played any more in those conditions."