NZCT National league Finals (men & women)
February 28, 2007
Welington, NZ
Men's title race expected to be tight
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@xtra.co.nz
http://www.softball.org.nz/
*mailto:snz@softball.org.nz
Cheers Vance
Softball New Zealand web master.
* mailto:vanf@ihug.co.nz
