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TAGGING ALONG: Canterbury infielder Josh Harbrow, tags out a runner in a game in Blenheim, he has won a place in the Black Sox world championship squad.
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Black Sox selection capped a golden week for young Canterbury softball infielder Josh Harbrow.
The 23-year-old won the MVP (most valuable player) award and hit a home run in the final as Albion won their first national interclub softball title on Sunday.
Twenty-four hours later, Harbrow fielded a call from Black Sox coach Mark Sorenson telling him he had earned a berth in the world championships squad for the tournament in Canada in June. He joins catcher Stephen Ratu as Canterbury's only representatives.
Harbrow toured North America with the Black Sox last season but still wasn't totally confident he would make the world championship cut.
"I knew it would be a pretty hard team to pick. There were a lot of players who were playing really well in my position."
The former Shirley Boys' High School student thought his chances were only "50-50" and he was a "bit nervous when Mark gave me a call".
But nerves soon turned to delight - and relief.
"It's been huge . . . I was still getting over celebrating our win [at the national tournament] when I got the phone call. I'm stoked; all the hard work I've put in over the past couple of months has paid off."
Harbrow, who plays both shortstop and third base, always dreamed of playing for the Black Sox, but said he "never expected to make it this far" until he made the national training squad a couple of seasons ago.
As a young player breaking into the Canterbury Red Sox squad, he modelled his hitting on Canterbury co-captain Gareth Cook. "I've always looked up to him. I like his hitting style; he's a strong, powerful hitter and I've learnt a lot playing next to him."
Harbrow missed selection for the 2013 North American tour but got a callup last year and impressed Sorenson with his fielding skill and speed around the base paths.
The Canterbury man said fielding and base running had traditionally been his strengths but he knew he needed to improve in the batter's box to cement a Black Sox berth.
"I've worked hard on keeping the consistency in my at-bats and trying to be a tough out all the time, pretty much."
Hitting a two-run home run off Auckland United's former Black Sox pitcher Bailey Hoani in the second inning of the national interclub final clearly helped his world series cause.
It showed Sorenson he was capable of performing in the clutch and taking a leadership role in the batting lineup.
Albion's Marlborough pickup pitcher, Kurt Schollum, also clinched a place in the Black Sox and Harbrow said he had "never seen Kurt throw so well".
But he was just as delighted for players such as Paul Stead and Clayton Ellis, who had long been among the backbone of the team.
"Clayton was great behind the plate. No-one gives catchers the credit they deserve."
Harbrow - one of eight Black Sox world championships debutants - was formerly an apprentice electrician but is embarking on a new painting career with Albion team-mate and former Black Sox pitcher Penese Iosefo.
It is still sinking in that he will be part of the Black Sox's bid to win a record seventh world crown. "It didn't hit me till later [on Monday] night when I couldn't get to sleep."
Canterbury representatives were:
1976: Bryan Mountford (shared gold medal with United States and Canada after tournament was rained out).
1984: Ray Marsh.
1988: Jimmy Hall.
1996: Travis Wilson.
2000: Greg Newton.
2009: Wilson, Gareth Cook, Daniel Milne, Stephen Ratu.
2013: Milne, Penese Iosefo, Tyron Bartorillo.
2015: Ratu, Josh Harbrow.
- The Press
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