SHIFT TO NORTH

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32665, 22 July 1971, Page 26

SHIFT TO NORTH

Softballer’s sacrifice

The national representative, J. Lowes (Wellington), gained Dominion-wide publicity last week when he announced his withdrawal from the New Zealand world championship softball squad. Lowes withdrew because of a proposed tour of South Africa after the tournament in Manila.

But, in the meantime, other team candidates have been dedicatedly preparing for the selection trials in October. Such has been the determination of one of the two Canterbury candidates that he has sacrificed his job in Christchurch because he felt he wasn’t getting the same opportunities to prepare as many of the North Island trialists. TRANSFER NORTH The Richmond out-fielder, N. D. Mattison, aged 19, who gained selection in the New Zealand squad with an outstanding display at the national Beatty Cup interprovincial tournament at Wellington last Christmas-New Year, has transferred to Wellington so that he will be able to train with Wellington and Hutt Valley players, who make up most of the squad.

Canterbury’s other candidate for the team, the former New Zealand soccer goalkeeper, D. Phillips, hasn’t exactly been relaxing either. Phillips showed his reflexes are as cat-like as ever when he made several fine saves when helping New Brighton defeat his old club, Christchurch United, in a Gillette Chatham Cup second-round match last Saturday.