Softball: Embarrassment of riches agony for Black Sox coach

By JULIE ASH

Black Sox coach Don Tricker is expecting a pretty restless weekend. It is not because he is unsure about which 17 players he will name on Tuesday to defend New Zealand's world championship softball title in Christchurch next year but because he has to find a way of breaking the news to those who miss out.

"We are really looking forward to naming the side so we can move forward," Tricker said.

"But it is going to be very hard when we have to make some difficult calls on Monday night.

"There are some fantastic players who are going to miss the final 17. However, we have said all along that the strength of the Black Sox programme is really the guys who don't make the side in terms of their effort to push the final 17 to be selected."

After winning the world title in 1996 and defending in 2000, the Black Sox have the chance to become the first men's team to win three consecutive world titles when they line up in the 11-day tournament starting on January 29.

With the majority of players remaining from the 2000 side, including Bevin Martin, Jarrad Martin, Nathan Nukunuku, Dion Nukunuku, Marty Grant, Clayton Willocks, Brad Rona, Thomas Makea, Taifau Matai, Paul Algar, Greg Newton and Donny Hale, Tricker admits he had plenty of talent to choose from.

"It becomes tougher every year because we spend the years between world series on broadening our base for selection. So when you come to selecting the final 17 there are a number of ways you can go with different combinations and so on," said Tricker, who was appointed national coach in 1998.

"But it would be fair to say we are very excited about what we have got."

Former Black Sox captain Mark Sorenson threw a spanner in the works late last month when he announced his availability for the team.

Sorenson, 35, retired from international softball in 2001 but has continued playing overseas.

"We have pointed out to Mark that we are very happy with the players we have got," Tricker said.

"I guess in terms of Mark deciding he wants to come back to play ... we are pleased to consider him but, in saying that, we have got plenty of other good players who are going to do a good job for us."

In the past year the Black Sox have had convincing wins over Australia and Japan and in May completed a two-week tour of Botswana unbeaten.

But Tricker is under no illusion how tough it is going to be for his team to win again this time.

"The standard of the game is improving each year but you have still got the four big teams in New Zealand, America, Canada and Japan.

"Then you have got a number of other teams that are very classy ... teams like Argentina and Venezuela, all of which are going to be hard to beat."

Playing at home will also provide the Black Sox with an additional challenge.

"This time the expectations are going to be that much higher from the public and there are going to be demands from the media.

"All of these factors, along with friends and families around, are going to make this world series different but we have anticipated that and are planning for it."

Between now and the start of the world championships the Black Sox will have camps in Burnham, Palmerston North and Christchurch. There will also be two training camps in Auckland.

"The first thing we do in a couple of weeks is get together and start to build the team," Tricker said.

"We are not making any assumptions that what we did in 2000 is going to be good enough for this one, so we are really starting all over again."

* Softball New Zealand will also name a supporting sponsor for the Black Sox on Tuesday. The team are still on the lookout for a naming sponsor.