Anderson trots to new success

The Wairarapa cricket fraternity could be tempted to have a punt at the Geraldine Trotting Club's meeting tomorrow.

Race seven is for junior drivers and one Jeremy Anderson will be behind No Man's Land, a useful type with a handy form background including a second two starts back.

Yes, this is the same Jeremy Anderson who was making a name for himself in Wairarapa cricket circles not so long ago, first as a member of the Wairarapa College first XI, then Greytown's premier club side and the Wairarapa senior men's representative squad.

A solid middle order batsman who could be electric in the field, Anderson had - to use racing parlance - the breeding to make a name for himself in the sporting arena.

Father Graeme "Bunter" Anderson is a former Wairarapa-Bush halfback and captain, brother Robbie has played for the province at cricket and sisters, twins Jenna and Kristy, are gun hockey players, Jenna being part of the national under-18 team about to head across the Tasman for a five-test series against Australia.

It was when Jeremy Anderson, now 22, travelled south to Lincoln University from where he recently graduated with a bachelor of commerce and management and a double major in accounting and finance, that he became actively involved in the light harness industry.

Needing a job to provide some money in the pocket, he advertised on the website Racecafe to see what was available. Trainer Marty Larter gave him the opportunity to work towards obtaining his junior driver's licence.

It was just last season when Anderson had his first race drive and he picked up his initial win this October behind the good trotter Pammy's Boy. A month or so later and he scored again, this time with what was described in the media as an "inch perfect" drive behind Trotupastorm. Last on the home turn, Anderson steered his charge through a gap for a narrow victory.

The complete Anderson record now stands at 37 drives, two wins, two seconds and two thirds, and he hopes to continue race driving even when he takes up a fulltime position with PricewaterhouseCoopers early next year.

Busiest team on the local cricket front this weekend will be Red Star, who will play Wairarapa College in a Bidwell Cup one innings match at Wairarapa College tomorrow, and Turkey Red Greytown, in an Umpires Cup limited-overs fixture at Greytown on Sunday.

A superb all-round performance by Jared Watt spurred Red Star to a Bidwell Cup win over Flight Centre Lansdowne last weekend. Watt followed his 4-29 with the ball when Lansdowne was all out for 109 with an unbeaten 58 with the bat, Red Star reaching their target with four wickets to spare.

Wairarapa College and Greytown did battle last Saturday and it was the students who took the honours in a low-scoring match. They made 122 and, with Martin Reisima finishing with 5-11 off eight overs, dismissed Greytown for just 63.

The confidence of Wairarapa College will have been boosted by that success and, with Netherlands skipper Peter Borren likely to rejoin them tomorrow, they are set to give Red Star a run for their money.

The other Bidwell Cup match tomorrow sees Rathkeale College at home to Lansdowne.