World series adds bite

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 20

World series adds bite

The 1989-90 Radio Avon premier women’s softball competition promises to be an extremely interesting and exciting one. For the women, 1990 is world series year and Canterbury is hoping to be well represented in the final New Zealand team selection for Normal, Illinois. The province has eight in the recently named training squad of 30.

These squad members will be looking for hard competition and because of changes to both the local and national competition structure this desire should be satisfied. In Christchurch, midweek evening play is being re-introduced after nearly a decade’s lapse, providing more games. And nationally there is a change in the criteria for. the inter-club tournament. The top four provinces from the inter-provincial championships in Lower Hutt will be allowed to enter two teams at the

club fixture, thereby raising the standard and effectiveness of the tournament.

The Canterbury players named in the national squad are Natalie Hazelwood, Jane Earnshaw, Lynda O’Cain, Chris John, Helen Townsend, Anita Perreau, Wendy Hughes and Penny Salton. Of the eight at this stage only Salton might not be available.

While many of the senior playeis will be trying to force their way into New Zealand colours the door is also open for a number of Canterbury’s under-19 players building up for the 1991 world youth series in Adelaide.

On the “local” front it is far too early to predict what final line-ups are likely to be, although ruImours abound as to where' and what players will be doing.

If last season’s results from the champion-of-champions finals’ day are any indication the com-

petition is wide open. It is, however, again likely to be the battle royal between the top two sides for the last two years, Bumside and Albion. Burnside will be without its coach, Robyn Storer, this season through work commitments and her input in this classy side will be sorely missed. Storer has moulded the team into a powerful offensive and defensive side as some of the crushing scorelines last season — even against Albion — indicated.

The side will, however, face one or two problems early in the season. Its yet-to-be-appointed new coach will need a settlingin period and injury has hit two talented young players, Perreau and Karatau. The team will also be without its pitcher, Lee Ronald, who has

transferred to Wellington, leaving Chris John to carry out all the pitching duties.

For Albion, the possible loss of the catcher, Salton, and pitcher, Donna Meuli, both looking for a season off, will have a marked effect on the side. The club has some promising youth coming through in this area. It is not certain if they are ready for the “big time” and, if not, whether the coach, Cheryl Kemp, will again be out in the middle winding the ageing arm over.

Performances in the inter-club tournament will almost certainly seal the fate of many players for the world series. It is therefore important that Canterbury finishes in the top four of the Winfield inter-provincials and that both Albion and Burnside qualify for the club tournament as all squad members come from these two sides. Interest will also focus on the performance of the promoted side from last season, United. It has been five yars since the team played premier softball and with Katrina Thomson and Chris Stuart

spearheading the attack the side is likely to push the lower-seeded teams, but not Burnside or Albion. Monowai, while having the proudest club record of any in Canterbury, has struggled in recent years and looks set to do so again this season. It lacks the firepower on the mound to be a real force in the competition. At present there is speculation whether Papanui will field a team. But if its line-up remains largely intact it could be the dark horse of the competition. The team finished on a high note last season, almost taking out the champion-of-champions title. Papanui will be affected by the loss of Leonie Bloxham who is increasing the size of her family.

For the young Suburbs side this season could prove to be a real struggle. The side has lost Stuart and Thomson to United, and Tania Meier, probably Canterbury’s most promising young pitcher. Meier is studying for three years in the United States