Softball: Dummy run for the White Sox

The New Zealand women's softball team will be using this month's tour to Japan as a dress rehearsal for the Sydney Olympics which are now just over six weeks away.

The White Sox fly out today and coach Mike Walsh said that while in Japan he wants to replicate as closely as possible the situation he and his players will face in Sydney.

To achieve that he has opted not to take any of the Olympic reserves on this trip and to stick with the 15 players in the Olympic team.

"We've taken a couple of the reserve players on our trips to Australia and Canada, and we probably could have done that again," he said. "But this time we want to concentrate on the 15 players who will be in Sydney and start looking at the way we'll operate there, how we'll work as a team."

Aucklander Jackie Smith and Hutt Valley's Melisa Upu return to the side after missing the Canadian tour, Smith through work commitments and Upu through a knee injury.

Also making the trip to Japan will be the White Sox' recently appointed pitching coach, Kevin Herlihy.

Walsh said he had been added to the touring party at the request of the pitchers.

The White Sox will play six games in Japan, three against the national side, ranked third in the world, and three against top club sides.

Walsh said the tour would give him a good gauge of his team this close to the Olympics.

"We had an excellent match with Japan at the Canada Cup earlier this month. They won, but it was close and we played very well, so they should be good games," he said.

The team play their first game on Saturday against the Hitachi Software side in Yokahama.

The first test is on Sunday at the same venue.

- NZPA