Lyttelton a possible softball threat

Press, 3 October 1979, Page 16

Lyttelton a possible softball threat

By

TIM DUNBAR

Lyttelton, unpredictable in the extreme last year, has already shown in preseason games that it cannot be dismissed as an opponent by any team in the senior men's softball competition which begins on Saturday. The team has had two Sunday warm-up matches, upsetting the champion Jaks-United side. 3-2. 10 days ago and then thrashing Richmond, 12-0, last week-end.

It will start the competition determined to prove these victories were no flukes with a potentially tough double-header at the port against JaksCitv and Richmond. Coaching the side this year is a former Marlborough man. Wyn Heath, who has a good reputation

as a tactician and teacher of skills. He will be looking for more consistency from his players.

Little change is evident in the Lyttleton lineup with the youthful promise of players like Dean Couch and John Kottier backed by the experience of Doug Baker, Craig T hompson and the pitcher, Ross Fife.

Jaks-United must again be favoured to win the competition and the United and Canterbury coach, Denis Rea, was happy with the form that gave "the team first place in its own pre-season tournament last week-end.

United has already had* cause to be thankful for : the return of Leon Fife, third baseman and relief pitcher, from Timaru. As one spectator remarked during the pre-season tournament: “Fife always looks like he’s going to hit the ball.” With Paul McFarlane back from the Hutt Valley and players such as Bryan Mountford, Tony Mountford, Mark McFarlane and Bill Rintoul, Mr Rea should not have to worry too much about batting strength. As usual, big things will he expected from Canterbury s top hurler, David

Bradbury, who is striving for a place in the New Zealand team for the 1980 world series in Tacoma, Washington.

A new recruit is Al Paranahini, a Wellington

colt last year, who is in Christchurch on a Maori apprenticeship course. United begins the season proper with a match against Papanui, which performed a little disappointingly in last weekend’s tournament, failing to win a match.

However, it is certain that Papanui will again be a strong title contender under its new coach, Colin Chee. Not too much should be written into the team’s 8-2 loss to United last week-end. Back in the side after a season with Albion is the big-hitting Eric Tomlinson, who will add depth to the batting. “He bats a pretty long ball. We lacked that last year.” said last season’s player-coach, Gordon Phillips. Phillips, with Bradbury, a member of the 37-mem-ber New Zealand training squad, will again catch the pitches of Geoff Roberts and Kevin Tuuta. Experienced players Ike

Brian Waine (returned from Western Suburbs), Dale Eagar, and Tony Bishop will be invaluable. Richmond's new playercoach, Greg Panagiotidis, is hoping that his team can fast erase the memory of the big defeat handed out by Lyttelton. “We just had a bad game,” he said.

Panagiotidis was quite pleased with the pitching of Neil Pascoe, who came on to the mound late in the Lyttelton game and only yielded two hits. Pascoe may well be used as the opening pitcher, ahead of the Canterbury schoolboy representative, Roy Ah Kuoi. A useful gain from Albion is Paul Emms and the team also boasts two outstanding players in Kevin Steel (perhaps the fastest outfielder in Canterbury) and Doug Chee. Tony Hansen and Andrew Sinclair are among the younger players with some flair.

The young Jaks-City side will this season have two experienced coaches in Arnie Hall and Mike Nalepa to guide its path.

Its major acquisition is the Canterbury representative, John Daly, a sound infielder and very capable batter. This side’s big advantage would seem to be the fact that players like Alan Hall, Murray Lanini, Ray Marsh. Roger Hutton and Ken Frost (in sparkling batting from last weekend) have been together

for some years and they generate an excellent team spirit. Michael (“Jimmy”) Hall looks a batter of considerable talent. Western Suburbs, with four players acquired from Wigram — Graeme Charred, Les Butts, Warren Long and Charlie Ford — will be hoping to reap the benefit of another new possession — a pitching machine to improve its weakest aspect, batting. Suburbs will have the same pitcher-combination, Colin Sutherland and Simon Heath, and a speedy outfielder in Terry Coleman.

With six players lost the year looks likely to be one of consolidation for Albion. The Daly brothers, John and Vince, and Tomlinson will be especially missed and the batting may be a little weak.