Nixon an unlikely Giants hero

Giants coach Tony Nixon was an unlikely hero when Giants beat Christchurch United 3-2 in the playoff for seventh and eighth positions at the national inter-club men's softball tournament in Christchurch on Sunday.
Nixon came into the game in the seventh and last innings when batter Tyler Cross was hit on the face by a wild pitch and was walked to first base.
The pain from the blow was enough to stop Cross from taking any further part in the game and with a shortage of fit players in the Giants squad Nixon took his place there.
A hit from Corey Kinnon saw Nixon move onto third base and then another wild delivery from the Christchurch United pitcher saw the ball go loose and Nixon sprint home for the winning home.
"It was a bit of a worry having to get the old legs move that fast?fortunately the hammys held up," Nixon quipped.
It was the second time Giants and Wairarapa United had met at the tourney and the second time only one run had seperated them.
Their first clash in pool play was decided on the second of two tiebreaker innings-nine innings in all- with Giants sneaking home 8-7.
Pitcher Richard Clarke had an outstanding match in the playoff match, giving up only three safe hits, while Curtis Ames and Blair Thompson starred with the bat.
Spearheading a very efficient fielding effort were Terry Waitere and Ryan Shannahan.
Their success left Giants with a seventh ranking, three above last year and the highest they have ever managed at the national tournament.
Coach Nixon was delighted with their overall performance, saying making the top eight for the first time had been a major objective.
And just how tough an assignment that was is indicated by two clubs who are usually amongst the country's best, Cardinals and Poneke-Kilbirnie, ending up 13th and 15th respectively.
" For a club as small as ours to place seventh over the whole of New Zealand is pretty special," Nixon said.
" It was a big challenge and the boys really rose to it. We couldn't have asked for anything more."