NZCT National league Finals (men & women)
Al's Fastball News
fastball at pmihrm.com
Wed Feb 28 06:15:12 EST 2007
Received: 2/28/07 2:48:49 AM
From: Vance <vanf(at)ihug.co.nz>
Subject: NZCT National league Finals (men & women)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men's title race expected to betight
Wednesday February 28th 2007
The New Zealand Community Trust Men’s National Softball League
title isup for grabs in Lower Hutt this weekend and all those
involved agree anyof the three sides in the finals is capable
of wining it.
At Fraser Park this weekend Wellington, Auckland and the Canterbury
RedSox will be the sides battling it out for the title. All three
teams wontheir way through to the finals following a tough six
team double roundrobin competition.
One thing for certain about this weekend is the fact that a new
championwill be crowned given the fact that the defending champion
North Harbourhas relinquished the title having not qualified
in the topthree.
Wellington look like the team to beat as they are the top ranked
sidefollowing round robin play where they recorded an eight win
two lossrecord. Their only losses came against fellow finalists
Auckland and theCanterbury Red Sox during the final weekend of
round robin play earlierthis month.
Coach of the Wellington team Les Bishop is one weekend away from
claimingthe title in his first attempt at the NZCT National League
as this is hisfirst season with the coaching reigns in this competition.
Bishop says while there is excitement on his behalf he says the
team arewell aware of the task in front of them.
“This weekend all the teams are going to be on top of their game
and itwill come down to whoever plays well on the day, all three
teams are verycompetitive,” said Bishop.
Going into the weekend Bishop believes success will come down
to strongdefence as he is confident his team has the hitters
to score enough runsto win.
One more hurdle the Wellington side may need to overcome this
weekend ispast results. In the four previous NZCT National League
competitionsWellington have only claimed the title once despite
having made itthrough to the finals weekend every season the
competition has beenrunning.
Bishop says the team have learnt from the past disappointments
and arefully aware of the need to perform on the day if they
want the title.
“All the players have been in this situation before and Wellington
havebeen unlucky in the last few years. All the players realise
that the teamhaven’t achieved perhaps what they should have in
the past and theyunderstand that just because you are a quality
team you are not justgoing to win it. Winning comes down to the
team that plays well in thespecific game,” said Bishop.
One team who have tasted success in past NZCT National Leaguecompetitions
that they will be looking to repeat this weekend isAuckland.
During the opening two seasons of the league Auckland reinedsupreme
claiming the title on consecutive occasions.
Auckland player/coach Donny Hale says past results will have
littlebearing on this weekend as he believes victory will come
down to stronghitting and a bit of luck.
“Who ever turns up to play ball this weekend and is mentally
tough willcome away with it. The teams play each other so many
times and there isnot much between them, just one hit or one
error can turn a game,” sadHale.
For this weekend Auckland will be relying on the pitching services
ofexperienced Samoan international Heinie Shannon and youngster
Vaero Hagaia draft selection from Wellington. Hagai was brought
into the team toreplace the injured Thomas Cameron for the first
weekend of round robinplay and has remained in the team throughout
the league.
“Vaero replaced Thomas for the first weekend and he has given
greatservice to us during the round robin so he has earnt his
spot in theteam,” said Hale.
The Canterbury Red Sox round out the finalists and are the only
sideamongst the three who has not won the NZCT National League
title in thepast. However Red Sox coach Mike McDowell says the
past counts for littlethis weekend.
“We haven’t talked about the past it is irrelevant we focus on
game bygame and this team and this tournament. The team are out
to prove a pointthis year and we are ¾ of the way to doing it.
We are keen to show therest of the country just how good we are,”
said McDowell.
For the Red Sox to claim the title this weekend McDowell says
his sidewill need to be 100% accurate in everything they do offensively
anddefensively.
“Everybody needs to stand up this weekend. No individual is going
to winit for us it will take the whole 15 of us to win it and
if there is onechink in the chain it wont work.”
In another positive for the Red Sox this weekend pitcher Nathan
Taikatowill be back on the mound having sat out the final weekend
of round robinplay due to injury. McDowell says Taikato was given
the all clear frommedical staff to start pitching again last
week. Taikato will share thepitching duties with Penese Iosefo
who found some impressive form duringthe final weekend of round
robin play as he shut out both Wellington andNorth Harbour.
The NZCT Men’s National League finals get underway at Fraser
Park, LowerHutt on Saturday afternoon when Auckland take on the
Canterbury Red Sox.The winner of that game will then go on to
play Wellington at 5pm for theright to take direct entry into
the final on Sunday afternoon.
NZCT Men’s National League Finals Draw:
Saturday March 3rd
1pm Game2 Auckland vCanterbury Red Sox
5pm Game 4 Wellington vWinner Game 2
Sunday March 4th
9.30am Game5 Loser Game 2 vLoser Game 4
2pm Final Winner Game 4 vWinner Game 5
Finals weekend time to deliver
Wednesday February 28th 2007
After two weekends of round robin play only three teams remain
incontention for the New Zealand Community Trust Women’s National
Leaguetitle.
Just who will be the 2006/06 NZCT Women’s National League champion
willbe decided this weekend at Fraser Park, Lower Hutt when Hutt
Valley,Auckland and the Canterbury Red Hawks battle it out over
two days.
Going into finals weekend all three teams are still to finalise
theirsquads as they monitor the fitness of players. Top qualifiers
Hutt Valleyare watching the progress of NZCT White Sox pitcher
Sheree Cartwright whostrained ankle ligaments during the second
weekend of round robin play inthe NZCT National League earlier
this month.
Another to go down injured during the last weekend of round robin
playwas Canterbury Red Hawks infielder Lisa Kersten who suffered
a kneeinjury. Auckland appear to have the least injury worries
with a handfulof players nursing niggling injuries but expected
to be ready to go bythe weekend.
Hutt Valley go into finals weekend as the top ranked side having
onlysuffered one loss during round robin play. That loss came
against theCanterbury Red Hawks during the opening weekend of
the league inJanuary.
A key to Hutt Valley’s title hopes could be the recovery of pitcherCartwright
as she adds a lot to the team both from the mound and as abatter.
Hutt Valley coach Naomi Shaw while agreeing that Cartwright addsa
lot to the team is adamant her side can win with or without her.
“Sheree is a key player not only for her pitching ability but
her hittingability as well but the team is not built around one
person. You can’thave everything focused on one or two players
that isn’t going to win youa ball game it is all about who steps
up on the day,” said Shaw.
Going into the finals Shaw is confident her side has the hitting
strengthto win the title but will be looking for improvements
defensively.
“In terms of defence we need to step up, we have done some lazy
things inthe field through the course of both weekends and we
need to sort thatout and play to our potential. We have talked
about it as a team and wewill be working on it at training this
week. With the hitting I can’tcomplain. If we can maintain that
this weekend I will be happy.”
As the top ranked side after round robin play Hutt Valley are
in theposition of only having to win two games, one on each day
to claim thetitle. Shaw believes given the injury concerns to
Cartwright that couldprove crucial.
Auckland go into the finals weekend in second place and also
holding thetitle of defending champions. Auckland coach Wayne
Roper, however doesn’tbelieve that will make much difference.
“This season it is a different competition in a totally new year
with anew team and the competition is stronger, it is at a higher
level acrossthe board this year,” said Roper.
The Auckland coach believes the key to success for his team is
going tobe batting and remaining focused.
“We have to step up to match the batting power of Hutt Valley.
I am happywith our combinations defensively but we need to do
more with the bat andput the other teams under some pressure,”
said Roper.
To improve the hitting Roper would like to see his players spending
moretime in the batters box forcing the opposition pitchers to
spend moretime on the mound.
During round robin play Roper believes his side has shown that
they cancompete and beat and other teams in the finals having
defeated theCanterbury Red Hawks during the opening weekend and
then pushing HuttValley to the sixth inning earlier this month
before one hit over thefence saw the score blow out.
“This weekend there will be less games but there will be no break
we willhave to be focused for the whole time we can’t relax on
anybody at anytime even for a moment.”
Rounding out the top three finalists are the Canterbury Red Hawks
whohave shown inconsistent form during round robin play but they
have theclass to beat anybody on their day.
With international players such as pitcher Ali Arnold, outfielder
MelanieHulme and infielder Lisa Kersten if she is fit the Red
Hawks have theexperienced players to win the title. A lot will
come down to the youngerplayers in the squad and how they handle
the pressure of finalssoftball.
“We have players who are seasoned finals players so it is up
to the youngones to stand up and be accountable. We have nothing
to lose and nothingto prove we go in as the third ranked team,
we are the under dogs and itis not often the Red Hawks can call
themselves the under dogs. We justhave to play for each other
and play for ourselves,” said Red Hawks coachDave Pouaka.
During round robin play the Red Hawks suffered some surprising
lossesagainst the Central Vikings and Southern Pride. Pouaka
puts those lossesdown to a lack of focus from his side and there
will be none of that thisweekend.
One pleasing aspect from round robin play for the Red Hawks was
the factthat in pressure, must win games the team pulled through
and did the worknecessary to record the victory.
“We have delivered in the pressure games and it is pleasing that
when itcomes to the hard yaka the team are prepared to knuckle
down and do it,”said Pouaka.
The Red Hawks also go in to the finals weekend in the knowledge
that theyare the only team to have beaten the top ranked team
Hutt Valley duringround robin play. Pouaka says his side will
take a lot out of thatvictory.
Finals weekend gets under way at Fraser Park on Saturday morning
at 11amwhen Auckland take on the Canterbury Red Hawks. In the
afternoon HuttValley will take on the winner of the early game
for the right to takedirect entry into the final on Sunday afternoon.
NZCT Women’s National League Finals Draw:
Saturday March 3rd
11am Game1 Auckland v Canterbury Red Hawks
3pm Game 3 Hutt Valley v Winner Game 1
Sunday March 4th -
9.30am Game 6 Looser Game1 v Looser Game 3
12pm Final Winner Game 3 v Winner Game 6.
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:vanf at ihug.co.nz
Al's Fastball News
*Email: fastball(at)pmihrm.com
fastball at pmihrm.com
NEWS-1: http://www.AlsFastball.com/
NEWS-2: http://fastpitchwest.com/alsfastball
VIA http://www.webbox.com
More information about the Alsfastball
mailing list