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TONY SMITH – The Press
New Black Sox captain Rhys Casley knows he has big cleats to fill as he gets set to guide the next generation of elite New Zealand softballers.
The Hutt Valley stalwart is in Christchurch preparing for his first international captaincy assignment – next week’s international tournament in Canberra.
The last two men to lead the Black Sox were legends of the game – Mark Sorenson and Jarrad Martin. Between them they led New Zealand to three consecutive world titles between 1996 and 2004.
Casley made his Black Sox debut in 2001 and is acutely aware of the challenge ahead but he is far from fazed by it.
“I try not to dwell on the past too much while trying to respect it,” he said. “Obviously [Sorenson’s and Makea’s] achievements speak for themselves and this group of guys with myself at the helm is a new regime. I know there’s some big shoes to fill but we’re looking to start afresh and kick things off the right way.”
Casley, 31, said playing under Martin’s leadership for so long “has been huge for me”. “He’s someone I respect immensely, probably the best player I’ve ever played with.”
Martin had been particularly helpful with advice on how to convey to the team’s eight rookie internationals “how we do things and the Black Sox legacy”.
Casley, who has spent the past 11 years playing off-season in New York, is taking on more than Martin’s leadership role. He’s also likely to fill his position at first base after playing in the outfield at the 2009 world championships in Canada. He is set to start there this weekend when the Black Sox play the Canterbury Red Sox at Mainland Foundation Ballpark today and the South Island All Stars at the same venue tomorrow.
“I’ve always played anywhere I fit in and wherever I can help the team,” said Casley, who is also an experienced second baseman.
Black Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase said the Black Sox’ young players were already responding to Casley’s strong leadership style.
Casley, in turn, is upbeat about next week’s tournament featuring two Australian teams and Argentina. “A lot of people are saying it’s a development tour but we don’t really look upon it as that. While there’s a lot of new faces, they’re new faces that have been around for a long time. While they’re inexperienced in this environment, they’re still quite experienced ball players.”
The uncapped players are catcher Te Wera Bishop, 17, young infielders Aaron Kuru, Joel Evans and Bobby King, former Otago outfielder Dan Tarapi, Hutt Valley pitcher Shaun Jamieson, Auckland outfielder Jerome Heretuku and Campbell Makea, a catcher and outfielder who hails from Hawke’s Bay. Evans is a late replacement for David Butler who withdrew due to work commitments.
Only Casley, vice-captain and third baseman Brad Rona, outfielder Ben Enoka, pitcher Heinie Shannon and his catcher brother played at the last world series. Hutt Valley infielder Tyson Byrne, who is likely to share shortstop duties with Kuru and Evans, is also part of the new leadership group.
Kohlhase is confident the Black Sox will get the workout they need against Canterbury and the South Island.
“The guys we are up against are there to play the best they can but they will also know what we are preparing for. Canterbury, in the past, have given us a good workout.”
Canterbury actually beat the Black Sox the last time the two met – just before the national team won the world championships in Christchurch in 2004.
They will be led by co-captains Gareth Cook and Stephen Ratu, two 2009 world series players who will be out to prove they should still be Black Sox.
BLACK SOX SQUAD
Pitchers: Heinie Shannon, Shaun Jamieson, Thomas Cameron.
Catchers: Te Wera Bishop, Pat Shannon.
Infielders: Tyson Byrne, Rhys Casley (captain), Brad Rona, Aaron Kuru, Joel Evans, Bobby King.
Outfielders: Bernard Hale, Ben Enoka, Wayne Laulu, Dan Tarapi, Jerome Heretuku, Campbell Makea
GAME SCHEDULE
Christchurch (Mainland Foundation Ballpark, Pages Rd)
Today: 3.30pm: v Canterbury Red Sox.
Tomorrow: 3pm: v South Island All Stars.
CANBERRA Wednesday: Australia Gold v Australia Green, Argentina v New Zealand, Australia Green v Argentina, New Zealand v Australia Gold Thursday: New Zealand v Australia Green, Australia Gold v Argentina, Australia Green v Australia Gold, New Zealand v Argentina Friday: Australia Green v New Zealand, Argentina v Australia Gold, Argentina v Australia Green, Australia Gold v New Zealand. Playoffs