UNFINISHED BUSINESS from the last world championships in Saskatoon haunts Canterbury softballer Daniel Milne.
Although he's been playing for New Zealand since 1999 and is a veteran of 51 tests and many other international matches, that was his first world tournament.
After winning the previous three world championships, the Black Sox were ambushed and beaten 5-0 by Australia in the 2009 final. Milne, 34, has been given a chance to help put that right with his selection in the team for the next world series at North Harbour in March.
``I don't like those over the ditch winning, and I had a few sleepless nights after that tournament in '09,'' says Milne, who played left field in the final. ``I woke up in a couple of cold sweats. Hopefully this season we've got the right mix to win --Â we've got a good mix with young and old players and good pitchers.''
Milne has been selected as an infielder for the 2013 worlds and expects to be used as second base, first base, short stop, or outfield. ``I like to keep all my bases open,'' he said.
Milne, from an Invercargill softball family where his father and mother were closely involved, began in tee-ball at four. He came to Christchurch as a 17-year-old to improve his softball with the goal of making the Black Sox. Still in his teens, he was selected in 1999 for New Zealand's tour of Australia, and has been in and out of the national team since -- although he missed selection for two world championships including the 2005 series in Christchurch before earning a trip to Canada in 2009.
Canterbury's victory against the odds at the national provincial championship in Auckland this month may have cemented selection for Milne, Penese Iosefo, and Tyron Bartorillo, but Milne was not really happy with his form.
``I didn't really play that well for Canterbury, but it was definitely nice to win it -- it was my second New Zealand title for Canterbury,'' he said. ``It was a strange one -- I don't know if the team was selected before it.''
Milne's skills have been sharpened by many seasons playing in the US in the off-season. His first in 1997 was for a Wisconsin team, Circle Tap, and then he had five seasons with Spirit, an upstate New York team based in Amsterdam, and five with New York city team Patsy's. He played in national tournament finals in the US and was named in an ISC All-World team.
However, he's unlikely to be seen on the American scene again. He has a painting business, Milne and Delatour, in partnership with PCU clubmate and former Back Sox player Paul Delatour. EQC work is keeping them very busy -- although Delatour will have to shoulder it alone for a month or so when the worlds are on and in the build up.
You wouldn't find an All Black or Black Cap babyminding while they are playing, but Milne frequently does. He and his wife Nicola, a former Canterbury player who turns out for PCU's big rivals Albion, have a 5-year-old son, Austin, who is already playing tee-ball.
With his parents' matches often on at the same time at different parks, it's usually dad who babyminds. ``Nine times out of 10 he's with me -- I've got lollies in the dugout,'' he said.
