Basketball: Air NZ strike hampers Breakers

AUCKLAND - The New Zealand Breakers' buildup to the new Australian National Basketball League season has been hit by industrial action at Air New Zealand.

Disruption to Air NZ's long-haul flights caused by cabin crew striking over pay and conditions has put paid to the Breakers' first pre-season matches, against the Hunter Pirates in Auckland next week.

About 1000 members of the Flight Attendants and Related Services Association are mounting three 48-hour strikes, the second starting tomorrow and the last beginning on Sunday.

The result is that the Breakers' four Tall Blacks will not get back from China until late on Tuesday.

Commercial manager Richard Clarke said today that the club was left with no option but to abandon the matches against the Pirates, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

While most teams in the league will have a three-month build-up, the Breakers' full squad will be together for about 12 days before they open their season at home match against Cairns on September 4.

Coach Andrej Lemanis said he had not struck the same limited preparation during seven years on the Townsville coaching staff.

"It's less than ideal, but we just have to grin and bear it," he said.

The Breakers' first pre-season action will now be against the Melbourne Tigers in Hobart and Melbourne on August 12 and 13.

However, the Tall Blacks will be involved in the Oceania world championship qualifiers against Australia at the time.

That means the Breakers won't play as a full squad until pre-season fixtures away to Brisbane and Townsville immediately before the annual Blitz tournament in Cairns on August 26 and 27.

- NZPA