Top men’s sides ready for early season test - NZ

[Vance]

Top men's sides ready for early season test
Wednesday October 19th 2005

The Doreen Dalton tournament in Lower Hutt this weekend is going to put the 
early season form of the leading men's premier club sides to the test.

This season the tournament is celebrating its 10th year in the current 
format and in a first for the event the tournament has been expanded to 
include more teams. Traditionally the tournament invites eight teams to 
compete for the title but this year 11 teams have been included.

Miramar are the defending champions but they have a tough road ahead of 
them if they want to win it again. With 11 teams included the tournament 
has been split into two sections with round robin play to be held on 
Friday, Saturday and Sunday ahead of semi finals and final on Monday.

The defending champs Miramar have been drawn in the same section as Hutt 
City United, Northcote, Hutt Valley Dodgers, Giants and Stoke of Nelson. 
The other section sees the 2004/05 national club champions Ramblers of 
Auckland taking on Porirua, Hutt Valley Cardinals, Poneke Kilbirnie and 
Johnsonville.

Host team Hutt City United open the tournament on Friday night at Fraser 
Park when they take on Hutt Valley Dodgers.

Brent Dalton of the Hutt City United club says the tournament while early 
in the season is a good early hit out for the teams. And with some of the 
best club sides in the country attending you can expect some high quality 
softball.

Some of the stars expected to be on show over the weekend include New 
Zealand Community Trust Black Sox captain Jarrad Martin turning out for 
Northcote along with fellow international Brad Rona. Leading the way for 
Ramblers will be Black Sox pitcher Thomas Cameron along with Nathan 
Nukunuku and Travis Wilson.

The home sides won't be without their stars either Porirua will be strong 
with experienced internationals in their line-up such as Thomas and Fabian 
Makea, Gene Lutton and new Black Sox pitcher Tane Richardson. Poneke 
Kilbirnie will be looking to Stacy McLean and Craig Wallace along with 
veteran Black Sox pitcher Marty Grant.

The tournament while early in the season could provide an insight for 
National League coaches as they look to name the protected players in their 
14 man squads at the end of this month.


By SNZ Media Liaison: Kelly Mitchell
*  mailto:kelly.mitchell at xtra.co.nz

http://www.softball.org.nz/
* mailto:snz at softball.org.nz


Cheers Vance
Softball New Zealand web master.
*   mailto:vance at vanf-graphics.co.nz

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