Softballers have much at stake

Press, 29 February 1984, Page 36

Softballers have much at stake

By

TIM DUNBAR

While other candidates for the pitching staff of the New Zealand men’s softball team for the world series develop sore arms in Christchurch this week, one player, Kevin Herlihy, will be sitting back at home already assured of the No. 1 spot. It was of no importance as far as Herlihy’s selection chances are concerned that his club team, Auckland United, failed to qualify for the Pan Am club national championship which begins at Porritt Park today. Any doubts that the big fellow was still the dominant figure of the past were

laid to rest 10 days ago when Herlihy pitched New Zealand to its only victory in the four-test series with the Can-Am All Stars. At the age of 36, Herlihy retains the ability to rise to the occasion when he puts on a New Zealand shirt. When he does so in Midland, Michigan, in July it will be for his sixth world series, and there only have been six since they started in 1966. The New Zealand squad of 17 for the 1984 world series will be named by the national selectors (Mike Walsh, John Leeney, and Graham Hilton) on March 12 and much of the . speculation centres around the players chasing a pitching spot.

During the tournament over the next four days Michael White (Miramar, Wellington), Steve Jackson (Ramblers, Auckland), Chubb Tangaroa (Burnside, Canterbury), and Paul Magan (Cardinals, Hutt Valley) will be battling it out on the mounds for their club sides.

Three pitchers will be going to the United States and it is likely that the selectors have already pencilled in the name of white

for one spot alongside Herlihy. White, making his international debut in the mini world series in Christchurch last year, impressed by shutting but the big batting sides representing Canada and the United States.

The third position is still wide open with Jackson, Tangaroa, Magan, and possibly still Loren Algar (also of Hutt Valley) all in the race. But it is most likely to come down between Tangaroa and Jackson, and they will meet head on at 5.30 this afternoon when Noel Leeming Burnside plays Ramblers in a vital match. Tangaroa, at 21 a year younger than White, has now had two seasons pitching in the United States and is a fitter, more mature player. That No. 3 spot is tantalisingly close, but he cannot afford any lapses this week. In the five previous world series only one Canterbury player, Bryan Mountford in 1976, has represented New Zealand and none has done so overseas. But on March 12 up to four Canterbury names could be included in the world series team though only three — Tangaroa, Jimmy Hall, and Ray Marsh — made the New Zealand squad of 23 for the recent test series. The most disturbing aspect of New Zealand’s performance against the CanAms was a quite woeful inability to lay down the commonplace bunt. One person who could do that job perfectly for the New Zealand coach, Mr Walsh, is the Canterbury captain and first baseman, Graeme Anderson, who is another Burnside club player.

As well as being a fine bunter Anderson has the speed and the “yard start” that left-handed batters get to help him reach first base

more often than most. His general batting form of late has been tremendous and at an invitation tournament in Timaru this month he averaged .867 with 13 hits from 15 turns at bat. At present though the big Counties player, Murray McLean, seems 1 to have a mortgage on the first base spot and Mr Walsh might not want two specialists in that position.

Of the other Canterbury candidates, the 21-year-old Hall has the most international experience and looks the part at short-stop where he is likely to be No. 2 to Wellington’s John Joyce. Hall has a great arm and a relaxed look in the batter’s box. His fine temperament was most obvious two years ago when he clouted the second pitch he received in international softball out of the park. The pitcher, incidentally, was Owen Walford (formerly of New Zealand) who will represent the United States in Michigan. Marsh, who hit two automatic home runs for Canterbury in one game at the Rothmans national championships this season, is one of several top batters in New Zealand contesting a place in the outfield. His aggressive batting style would go down well. Neither Hall nor Marsh did Ogpir selection chances

any harm during the test series. Hall made a safe bunt, picked a walk, and pulled off one fine double play while Marsh produced a safe hit at a vital stage in the test New Zealand won. One man who failed to make Mr Walsh’s squad for the home tests was the former New Zealand captain, Dennis Cheyne, a veteran of four world series. Even if Cheyne’s chances of a fifth world series have dimmed he has another goal in view this week, leading Miramar to what would be his seventh national interclub title. Miramar, the title-holder, is seeded No. 1 for the Pan Am trophy section, ahead of Ramblers, Cardinals, Burnside, Pukekohe (Counties), Mudgway Wreckers (Hawke’s Bay), Panthers (Southland), and Dodgers (Otago). Burnside, second in 1982 and fourth last year, has the advantage of a home crowd and “the strongest and biggest” squad the coach, Mr Arnold Hall, has ever had. If the outfielder and big-hit-ting batter, Roy Ah Kuoi, who became a father on Saturday, is available, Mr Hall will have 14 players to call upon, and more options than usual. Mr Hall said that the players had trained harder for this tournament than any other. “It’s the same old thing. If we hit the ball, we’re in with a show.” He intends to rest his star pitcher, Tangaroa, as much as possible and use his back-ups, Jimmy Hall and Roger Keith. But none of the games will be easy. The prospect of representing New Zealand overseas may be the incentive that key Burnside, players need to produce their best form, and possibly even bring Canterbury its first national men’s inter-club title in 45 years trying. The women, represented by first Monowai and now Albion, have shown how it is done — several times.