No softball favourite

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 38

No softball favourite

(By

TIM DUNBAR)

For the first time in several years there is no clear favourite among the eight entries in the national inter-club Stars Travel softball tournament, which begins in Hamilton today.

Normally the well-known Cameron’s Cardinals side from Hutt Valley, the tournament winner in four out of the last fiye years, would be a good bet, but it has looked vulnerable in local competition this season. Cardinals have a number

of very promising younger players' but are a trifle lacking in experience compared with previous years. Alan Wishart has done a fairly good job for the team, both on the pitching mound and in the batters’ box, but he does not yet seem to have the "zip” that last year’s pitcher, John Dawson, had.

Island Bay, which was runner-up last season and the winner the year before, again looks a good prospect, but only cemented its place as Wellington’s representative a short time ago. Its trump cards are likely

to be the No. 3 New Zealand pitcher, Jimmy Fowler, who did a good job when called upon in the recent world series; and top batters like Phil Davies, Peter Hartlev, and Marama Waitai, all national representatives in recent years.

One of the other sides with a chance is probably Cambridge, which has the enormous advantage of having one of the world’s best pitchers, Kevin Herlihy, in its ranks.

Papanui, Christchurch’s entrant in the tournament for the third successive year, will have its work cut out to beat the leading North Island sides, but has proved capable of upsets in the past.

Last season it raised eyebrows by beating Cambridge and then nearly took down Cardinals, then on a 45-game winning streak, later the same day. “We’re definitely in there with a show,” said the Papanui coach (Mr Keith Bingley) yesterday. He certainly was not happy about the five errors that the team “threw away” while losing to United last week-end, but is less concerned about other aspects of play. “There’s a depth of experience in the side and the boys are starting to bat well. It’s really pleasing to see Col Chee (the captain) do well and Chris McDonald had a great home run last Saturday. “Of course we need the breaks and there isn’t really any easy team, but if our pitchers, Geoff Roberts and Murray Reid, manage to hold down the hits, as they have done before, we’ll be right up there.” Papanui meets United (Auckland) and Cardinals today and Island Bay and the Wanganui Braves tomorrow.,