Softball: Demanding draw for White Sox

By JULIE ASH

The White Sox have received a tough but predictable draw for the women's world championships in Canada in July.

They go into the tournament ranked sixth behind the United States, Japan, China, Australia and Italy.

The New Zealanders have been grouped in pool B along with Japan, Australia, Cuba, Venezuela, the Netherlands, South Africa and Puerto Rico.

Pool A comprises world champions and Olympic gold medallists the United States, China, Italy, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Netherlands Antilles, Czech Republic and Botswana.

The top four teams in each pool go through to the playoffs, which start on August 2. They also qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

"I think it is a good draw. There are no great shocks," Softball New Zealand chief executive Haydn Smith said yesterday.

"It's fair to say our pool is a little more stable. In the other one there are a few teams such as Botswana who are unpredictable and could cause an upset."

Smith said that being so far away it was difficult for New Zealand to go into the tournament with a clear idea of what they were up against.

"It is hard for [New Zealand coach] Mike Walsh to acquire quality information on some of these teams. Chinese Taipei don't travel very often. We tried to get Italy here, so did Australia, but they didn't come.

"It would be great for us to get a European team down here to see how our programme compares to theirs."

In their build-up to the world championships, the New Zealanders will play in next month's South Pacific Classic in Perth.

They will also take part in the Canada Cup, a major international tournament, in California just before the world championships.

"The Canada Cup is the most significant event in woman's softball after the world series," Smith said. "It includes a number of international teams and will be a real indication of the strength of the various nations."

The team for the South Pacific Classic will be announced after the NZ women's open club championships which start at Norana Ave Ballpark, Mangere, today.