Softball opponents depleted

Press, 10 December 1976, Page 28

Softball opponents depleted

By

TIM DUNBAR

A drought of more than 20 years could end on Sunday when the Canterbury men's softball team meets Hutt Valley in a double-header at English Park. Hutt Valley, winner of four national titles in the last five years, looks only a shadow of its former self this season and struggled to beat the lowly Wairarapa side, 7-5, last Sunday. Among the absentees this season are Terry Bell, Wayne Baldwin, Terry Nunns and Dave Sorenson (now coaching A.G.C. Cardinals), who,

ail represented New Zealand in the world series at Lower Hutt last February.

And the side is further de- { pieced for this week-end’s representative matches as its top pitcher, Alan Wisbart, is out for two weeks with an ankle injury. Canterbury has not beaten iHutt Valley in the last two decades—although there have been numerous cliff-hangers —and will certainly not be taking its opponent lightly. But the Hutt’s two hurlers, Les Whakataka and Murray Forrest, are hardly likely to bring fear into the hearts of the Canterbury batters. Whakataka, a brilliant third baseman, is a “junky” pitcher

and Wairarapa clouted four home runs off Forrest last week-end. There are still some very good batters in the Hutt Valley side and Wayne Lamb (short-stop), Whakataka, John Taylor and Barrie Casely (outfield) and Ken Packer (second base) are all capable of hitting the ball consistently. Packer and Casely, two newcomers, both batted two out of three against Wairarapa.

The Canterbury selectors (Messrs Arnold Hall and Bryan Mountford) announced yesterday that all 14 remaining squad members will go to Wellington for the national tournament later this month.

I A late withdrawal from the |team was Chris McDonald, the former Southland and New Zealand outfielder. McDonald had a disappointing Jefferies Cup tournament last week-end but his ability to achieve fielding and batting feats out of the ordinary mays be missed.

Mr Hall, who distantly remembers taking part in Canterbury’s ‘ last victory over Hutt Valley, is quite hopeful about his team’s chances on Sunday. “I’d never underestimate youth and Whakataka is a good pitcher but the absence of those top players certainly puts us on a more even keel.”

Canterbury’s top line-up for the games (to be played at 1.30 p.m. and 4 pan.) is likely to be Alan Hall (pitcher), Gordon Phillips (catcher), Peter McDougall or Bryan Mountford (first base), Tony Mountford (second base), Leon Fife (third base), Paul McFarlane (short-stop), Dale Eagar (left field), Francis Lawrence (centre field), and Greg Panagiotidis (right field). The defensive screen should keep down the runs but the batting will have to improve from that of last Sunday, when the team looked a little lethargic and was out-hit by both Nelson and Southland. Mr Hall said that his three young pitchers — Hall, Kevin Tunta and Hadyn Smith — had performed ex-; ceptionally well during the Jefferies Cup tournament (in which Canterbury finished a disappointing fourth) and the whole team had looked good in practice on Monday even-) ing.

Fife (pulled groin muscle) and McDougall (swollen arm) are suffering from injuries at present but Mr Hall is crossing his fingers and hoping they will both be fully fit by Sunday. The Canterbury women will also be meeting their Hutt Valley counterparts, in •matches scheduled for 12 midday and 3 p.m.