A former top New Zealand international sportsman has admitted a charge of drink driving.
Adam Craig Parore, 47, appeared in the Papakura District Court this morning.
The former Black Caps cricket star pleaded guilty to one charge of driving with excess breath alcohol.
He made a brief appearance before Community Magistrate Lauolefale Lemalu and was sentenced at his first appearance.
Parore is a former wicket-keeper and batsman for the New Zealand cricket team.
He racked up 78 Test cricket matches and 179 One Day Internationals during his time on the team.
Court documents obtained by the Herald show Parore was caught driving over the limit on January 26 on Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd.
He had a blood alcohol level of 100 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood.
The legal limit is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres.
The court heard that Parore had recently moved to a rural address in the Clevedon area.
He went to a friend's house and had "a few drinks".
He then chose to drove home.
Parore, formerly married to socialite Sally Ridge, was stopped at a police checkpoint and was found to be over the limit.
It was his first drink driving offence.
The only other conviction - described as a "blemish" by his lawyer - was a careless driving charge 25 years ago.
That charge related to Parore speeding.
"If he'd been in the city he would have caught a taxi home," his lawyer told the court.
"He accepts we're here today and pleads guilty."
Community Magistrate Lemalu said the offending appeared to be "out of character".
She said Parore had not been caught over the limit as a result of "bad driving".
She fined the former sportsman $500 and disqualified him from driving for six months.
Parore was also ordered to pay $130 in court costs and more than $200 to cover the fees of the analyst who carried out the blood test.
When approached by the Herald outside court Parore refused to comment on his offending or conviction.
After splitting three matches against England, we grade the performance of the home side.