'Must win' attitude for Giants

Giants are taking a "must win" attitude into their Hutt Valley premier league men's softball matches with Hutt Valley Marist and Dodgers at South Park, Masterton tomorrow.
Victory in both games will greatly enhance Giants's prospects of finishing the qualifying rounds of the premier league as top seeds for the semi-finals, something which should be incentive enough for them to produce the sort of form which has already taken them to a clear lead in the Inter-City series top six playoffs.
Giants coach Tony Nixon accepts his team will be favourites to continue on their winning way this weekend but he is taking nothing for granted, especially against Hutt Valley Marist which upset Giants 3-2 last time they met.
Nixon said Marist were a side which had the batting strength to make life difficult for any of the premier league sides and Giants would need to keep them under wraps in that department.
"We need to pitch well and field well against them, any mistakes and they'll cane us," he said.
Just who will pitch in that game had not been decided when these notes were penned but Ritchie Clarke must be a big chance after his fine showing for Auckland in their national league fixture with Hutt Valley last weekend. Clarke was drafted into the Auckland side when one of their pitching staff was ruled out through injury and pitched the last five innings of a match won by Auckland 5-3.
For Dodgers the 2007-08 season has not been a memorable one but a win over Giants would at least give them something to smile about and Nixon anticipates them throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at his side.Helping the Giants cause this weekend will be the fact that all squad members are expected to report fit and well, something which has seldom been the case in recent times when injuries and unavailabilities have tended to deplete their resources.
And with their under-15 boys and President's grade teams also scheduled to play at South Park they see tomorrow as being the perfect opportunity to showcase their sport to the local public.
"It's a big day for us and hopefully people will come along and give us their support," Nixon said.