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MOVING: Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku appeals for an out at second base at the 2013 world championships.
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Captain Nathan Nukunuku is primed for a positional switch as he leads the Black Sox's bid to qualify for the world softball championships.
New Zealand, Australia and Samoa will play off in the Oceania qualifying series in Auckland this weekend with the top two teams qualifying for the world tournament in Saskatoon, Canada in June.
But Rosedale Park spectators will have to look a bit further afield to spot Nukunuku in the defensive roster.
After three world tournaments as an infielder, the veteran Aucklander is likely to be used in the outfield to keep his bat in the lineup and allow coach Mark Sorenson to blood some younger infielders.
"It's something we talked about on our tour to Canada in the winter. Nathan's comfortable with it, he's been playing there for the last month for Ramblers," Sorenson said.
Nukunuku will still be in a prime position in the upper batting order, probably just in front of longtime Ramblers clubmate Donny Hale, the Black Sox's designated hitter.
The Black Sox have plenty of potential permutations in the infield with Tyron Bartorillo, Tyson Byrne, Joel Evans, Thomas Enoka and Jerome Raemaki all versatile performers with experience in more than one position.
Qualifying for Canada should not present a problem for the Black Sox - Samoa have hitting strength but their pitching will struggle to contain the Kiwis and Australians.
But Sorenson wants to treat the series - which starts today - to "replicate what we'll strike during the world championships playoffs, where we may have to play double- or tripleheaders on the last couple of days".
The Kiwis will also be looking to gain a psychological edge over Australia's top pitcher Adam Folkard, still widely regarded as the world's best.
They beat Folkard in an extra-innings epic at the 2013 world championships and in a trans-Tasman test series in Auckland last March. But the tall right-hander can tie any team in knots with his power and devastating inside rise ball pitch.
Sorenson, renowned in his own playing days as an expert analyst of hitting and pitching, said the Black Sox would be in a better position to combat Folkard "if we are motivated and focused on our job". "But if we are a little bit off, he will dominate."
Sorenson is confident about the ability of his hitters and has a good mix of left-handed and right-handed batters.
Canterbury veteran Stephen Ratu will be the Black Sox's senior catcher. He'll handle a pitching staff comprising veteran Heinie Shannon and young power pitchers Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley) and Kurt Schollum (Marlborough). World championship star Jeremy Manley is back for the tournament from his United States base, but is out of season and likely to play only a limited role.
Sorenson said Shannon took a knock on his arm in club softball last weekend. "But he tends to throw better when he's actually hurt." "Nik and Kurt are going to be our spearheads, they're both in good form."
Like the Black Sox, Australia are rebuilding but can still call on Folkard and left-handed pitcher and power hitter Andrew Kirkpatrick.
It will literally be mate against mate when New Zealand play a Samoan squad drawn from New Zealand-based club softballers.
Donny Hale's younger brother, Bernard, is on the Samoan team alongside Campbell Enoka, whose older brothers Ben and Thomas are with the Black Sox.
* The tournament will be screened live on Sky Sport with coverage also extended to Australia and the South Pacific, through TVNZ's Pacific service.
Black Sox team:Â Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley) Tyson Byrne (Hutt Valley), Joel Evans (Hutt Valley), Cory Timu (Hutt Valley), Heinie Shannon (Auckland), Kurt Schollum (Marlborough), Stephen Ratu (Canterbury), Thomas Enoka (Auckland), Tyron Bartorillo (Canterbury), Nathan Nukunuku (Auckland, captain), Josh Harbrow (Canterbury), Jerome Raemaki (Wellington), Ben Enoka (Auckland), Wayne Laulu (Wellington), Campbell Makea (Wellington), Donny Hale (Auckland), Jeremy Manley (United States based).
