Softball: Junior White Sox side named

Softball New Zealand today named its Junior White Sox squad to play at an international tournament in Canada in July, with an eye to next year's Junior Women's World Championships.

Junior White Sox coach Lynda O'Cain said the 15 players and four non-travelling reserves would compete at the Canada Cup in the Futures event.

The Futures event is for under-19 players and includes international teams, American college and Canadian club sides.

An extended Junior White Sox training squad of 29 was also named today.

"The Futures tournament will give us a chance to see where we stand at an international level, where the gaps might be in our game and give us time to work on those things before the World Championships in 2007," O'Cain said.

"It will also give us an opportunity to look at some players more closely but by no means will exclude any member of the wider squad from being in the final team to travel to the World Championships in 2007."

Included in the Canada touring squad are Jessica Hau, Amber Irving and Lara Andrews, who have already featured in senior New Zealand White Sox squads.

* Junior White Sox touring squad for Canada Cup:-

Pitchers: Ashleigh Harmer (Horowhenua), Courtney Maihi (Waikato), Jessica Hau (Hutt Valley).

Catchers: Melanie Gettins (Hawkes Bay), Okawa Priest (Hutt Valley).

Infield: Emma Frost (Canterbury), Courtenay O'Donnell (Auckland), Katrina Stockford (Hutt Valley), Brooke Cutting (Wellington), Amber Irving (Auckland).

Outfield: Liani Samuel (Hawkes Bay), Christina Paul (Canterbury), Lara Andrews (Hutt Valley).

Utilities: Pauline Tahuri (Auckland), Carmelle Sorenson (Canterbury).

* Junior White Sox extended training squad 2006:

Pitchers: Ashleigh Harmer (Horowhenua), Courtney Maihi (Waikato), Vicky Shand (Wellington), Jessica Hau (Hutt Valley), Elisha Smith (Canterbury).

Catchers: Pauline Tahuri (Auckland), Carmelle Sorenson (Canterbury), Melanie Gettins (Hawkes Bay), Okawa Priest (Hutt Valley).

Infield: Emma Frost (Canterbury), Courtenay O'Donnell (Auckland), Katrina Stockford (Hutt Valley), Brooke Cutting (Wellington), Amber Irving (Auckland), Sanita To'o (Wellington), Nicola Tatana (Horowhenua), Alysha Metuatini (Canterbury), Lydia Isaacs (Auckland), Elle Henderson (Wellington), Hope Weber (Wellington).

Outfield: Liani Samuel (Hawkes Bay), Christina Paul (Canterbury), Lara Andrews (Hutt Valley), Jillian Tonihi (Canterbury), Kalo Tupou (Hutt Valley), Lauren Pollard (Wellington), Ngahuria Kapene (Hutt Valley), Michelle Venemore (Auckland), Rangi Tata (Auckland).

- NZPA