Softball: Wana steps up to the plate for Black Sox

When Black Sox star pitcher Marty Grant was ruled out with injury, Wellington's Jim Wana was cast into the leading role.

A week into the tournament and Wana has proved he is more than capable of striking out some of the world's best.

"I have really enjoyed it, but the hard work for us is just beginning," he said.

"Nothing has been achieved in terms of what we want to achieve."

Wana was part of the New Zealand side that won the world junior championships in 1985.

He made his debut in the Black Sox in 1988 and made regular appearances through to 1996.

He retired from provincial softball in 1998 but with this year's world championships being held in New Zealand, Wana decided it was time for a comeback.

"This is my first and my last world series," said Wana.

"I am fortunate to have won the junior worlds and American national titles but this is the one thing I don't have so this is the final and ultimate title I would like to have under my hat.

"It is the whole reason why I came back."

While Grant's withdrawal was a huge blow for the Black Sox, for Wana it provided a huge opportunity.

"Marty has been the big name pitcher for a number of years and it is just another challenge for us," he said.

"At the end of the day we have five pitchers on the team and it is going to take all of us to win it. I think that was going to be the situation even if Marty was there. Not any one person is going to win this for us, it is going to be a team effort."

So far in the tournament the Black Sox have used more pitchers in games than they have in the past which has ensured all five, Wana, Michael Gaiger, Thomas Cameron, Jarrad Martin and Karl Gollan have had plenty of game time.

But come the big matches, it is expected that either Wana or Gaiger or even both, will be asked to deliver the blows for New Zealand.

Wana did his chances no harm when he prevented Venezuela from making a hit in the two innings he pitched against them.

"You can always be better no matter what it says on the scoreboard. You can shoot under par in a golf game but that whole round could always be better. You always have to keep working at things and trying to improve."

One aspect the Black Sox will need to improve is their defence.

Against the Netherlands and Venezuela, New Zealand started strongly but let their opposition back into the game.

"It is certainly something we want to tighten up on," Wana said.

"There is no doubt we have some batting prowess there but at the end of the day defence is probably going to win the championship."

Wana believes the game has changed and is now more offensive than it used to be.

As a result, teams are scoring more runs.

"As a pitcher, shut outs are something to really cherish because they are harder and harder to come by.

"It is something we strive for to try and get the shut outs and that is what we are trying to do because if the other team does that then we might be in trouble."

Wana said nothing had really surprised him so far in the tournament. And considering he got to practice against his Black Sox team-mates, who were probably the most feared batting line-up in the world, he was pretty comfortable with any batter he faced.

"Thank goodness they are on our team," he said of his team-mates.

"That has got to be an advantage for us."