Softball warm-up out

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33773, 20 February 1975, Page 26

Softball warm-up out

(N.Z. Press Association}

WELLINGTON.

The New Zealand men’s softball team will not play at the interprovincial championships next season.

A suggestion that the national team plav in the championships without being eligible for trophies has been rejected by the New Zealand Softball Association council at a meeting in Wellington. The object was to help prepare the team for the world championships at Lower Hutt fiom January 31 to February 8. i The council felt that the

national team would interfere with the running of the championships and that associations which contributed several players to the side would be at a disadvantage. There had been 23 entries for the national men’s club championships at Christchurch from March 12 to 15, the meeting was told. This is a record for the event. It was decided that the teams would be divided into three sections, the top eight competing for the John Lennon Trophy. The winners of the two bottom sections, comprising eight and seven teams respectively, will play for the Tom ivoyle Cup.

The playing strength of the New Zealand men’s team to tour the United States this year has not been decided.

Some members of the council favoured a suggestion that 18 players be included in the party instead of the usual 15 because the tour — in June and July — will be important to New Zealand’s build-up for the world championships. The team is likely to play many double-header fixtures, and this will be a factor when the executive of the Softball Association decides the number of players to tour. Trials for the team will be held in Wellington at Easter.