Softball: Nine matches in Japan for White Sox

The New Zealand women's softball team leave for Japan on Wednesday and a nine-match tour coach Mike Walsh hopes gives his players a taste of the game at international level.

Walsh said the week-long tour was a good chance for his players to gain more international exposure in preparation for the 2006 world championships.

"We are looking to get better each time we play, that is the idea of international competition -- to measure ourselves against first-class teams and see where we are at."

The White Sox have matches scheduled against Chinese Taipei, All Stars line ups, University sides and the professional Toyota Japanese club team.

For the White Sox to perform Walsh believes it is a case of doing the basics well and executing under pressure.

He is confident squad members have the talent and skills to play at international level but they needed regular top level exposure to compete with and beat the best in the world.

"We have to keep raising the bar and raising the level we are at if we are going to compete with the best teams in the world."

Amber Irving, Lara Andrews and Ngamoko Hiku will be looking to make their debuts on tour.

Irving and Andrews are both 16 and Walsh said the tour was a good chance to give them a taste of the international scene and see how they handled it.

The tour will also be a homecoming of sorts for White Sox infielder Kayo Marui, who debuted for New Zealand this year.

Marui was born and raised in Japan but has been playing at club level in Hutt Valley for seven years and has gained New Zealand residency.

New Zealand squad: Jessica Hau (Hutt Valley), Michelle Kingi (Counties Manukau), Lisa Such ( Wellington), Kiri Shaw ( Hutt Valley), Jorja Bell ( US), Upu Lote ( Wellington), Lisa Kersten (Canterbury), Kayo Marui ( Hutt Valley), Amber Irving ( Auckland), Melanie Hulme ( Canterbury), Api Stone-O'Kane ( Wellington), Zavana Aranga ( Hutt Valley), Lara Andrews ( Hutt Valley), Ngamoko Hiku ( North Harbour).

- NZPA