Softball: Black Sox in tough pool at worlds

Defending champions New Zealand have been drawn in a tough pool for the world championships in Christchurch in January.

The Black Sox are in pool A with Samoa, Canada, Venezuela, South Africa, Australia, the Netherlands and the second-ranked Asian qualifier.

The tournament opener on January 29 will be between New Zealand and Samoa, who are expected to have a big following at the tournament.

Three teams in the draw have yet to be determined because the Asian qualifying tournament has been delayed because of problems related to the outbreak of the Sars virus.

The tournament was scheduled for September, but has been put back until late this month.

The top three teams there will qualify for the world championships.

Cheryl Kemp, spokeswoman for the organisers, said the championship draw was announced yesterday to enable planning for the event to continue.

The Asian qualifiers have been included in the draw as Asia 1, Asia 2 and Asia 3.

Japan, the beaten finalists at the 2000 World Series in South Africa, are expected to win the Asian qualifiers and take the top seeding in pool B.

They will be joined by the United States, Czech Republic, Argentina, Botswana, Mexico, Great Britain and the third Asian team.

Kemp said Samoa had been seeded eighth in the pool because they did not play at the last event.

But they were expected to field a strong side, with two players coming from the United States and the rest featuring in New Zealand's national softball league.

Samoa will be captained by former Black Sox and former All Black Jeremy Stanley.

"Of course they'll also have a tremendous following in terms of the crowd, so we expect that to be a great game to open the tournament. And the Black Sox should really be tested," Kemp said.

Softball New Zealand chairman Dale Eagar said he was pleased with the draw.

"The Black Sox' mid-week games are mostly in the evening, and their weekend games are in the afternoon. Those are the prime time-slots.

"Their pool is a tough one, too, so most of the games should be very competitive.

"It's not just Canada they have to look out for, with teams such as Samoa, Venezuela and Australia lying in wait."

After pool play, the top four teams from each pool will go on to a double page system play-off. The final will be played on February 8.

The Black Sox will be after an unprecedented third consecutive title in Christchurch, after wins in Michigan in 1996 and East London, South Africa, in 2000.

- NZPA