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Injury blow for Black Sox
New Zealand have suffered a blow on the eve of the world men’s softball championship in Canada, with injury ruling out teenage pitcher Thomas Enoka.
A lingering back niggle hasn’t improved, forcing coach Eddie Kohlhase to release the North Harbour player, the youngest member of the Black Sox squad in Saskatoon.
He is replaced by American-based outfielder Paul Walford, who was a member of the 1996 New Zealand world champion squad.
Kohlhase said Enoka – a member of last year’s New Zealand junior team – had been undergoing constant treatment in recent days.
“We left it right to the last minute. It’s unfortunate news for the team and for Thomas, he’s only 18,” Kohlhase told Radio Sport.
“It puts us down to a three-man pitching rotation, he was the fourth pitcher.
“It changes our plans, not significantly, but enough to ensure that we manage them very efficiently and effectively now.”
Carrying the load
New Zealand pitchers Marty Grant, Jeremy Manley and Heinie Shannon will carry more of the load over the 10-day tournament as New Zealand chase a sixth world title.
It starts with Saturday’s (NZT) opening pool game against old foe the United States
Kohlhase was pleased with his team’s lengthy buildup in North America and hoped his team were ready for a major challenge in their opening match.
“You don’t win a world championship on the first day of the competition,” he said.
“But we certainly want to make a good start to the tournament and set the standard from the opening game.
“The preparation for this has been five years in the making and everyone has worked towards this.”
A lot of interest in centre around who he gives the ball to for the start of the game.
Sharp form
Grant is playing in his fourth world championship but Manley and Shannon have been in sharp form.
Management will also be taking an interest in their next opponents Great Britain, who play the Philippines 10 hours before the Black Sox open their campaign.
The Great Britain line-up includes a number of New Zealand ex-pats and Kohlhase would not be too surprised if they make it to the playoff round of games which begin on July 25.
“They could be a team that surprise,” Kohlhase said.
The top four teams from the two sections of eight teams qualify for the playoff round, with the Black Sox’ chief rivals in pool A being the US and Japan, who New Zealand face in their last match.
The fourth spot should be fiercely contested between Great Britain, Mexico, Denmark, Philippines and Botswana.
“It will be interesting to see how those teams treat their games against the bigger sides,” Kohlhase said.
In some situations the lesser teams virtually concede the outcome against top sides, fielding weaker teams which results in a game being called before the regulation seventh innings.
At the 2004 tournament in Christchurch, New Zealand had six of their 10 games finish earlier because of the number of runs they had scored.
“We just need to focus on what we want to achieve and the goals we have set for ourselves in each game,” Kohlhase said.
Kohlhase expects Canada, Argentina, Australia play Venzuela to challenge for playoff berths in pool B.
Below: Photo borrowed from Facebook page of New Zealand’s Travis Wilson, showing jerseys of defending world champions.
