KEY POINTS:
The Pacific Series was initiated to provide international competition for countries in the region on an annual basis and as a lead-up to the 2009 World Championship.
The Black Sox have dominated the Pacific Series since its inception in 2005 having won then and again last year.
The only team to have beaten the Black Sox in the series is Samoa who beat the Black Sox 2-1 in the final round-robin game at the 2005 series played in Rotorua.
In the two tournaments the Black Sox have scored 101 runs and conceded 23. Japan has been the Black Sox' opponent in both finals, with the Sox winning 6-0 and last year of 5-2.
Ten of the players selected in this year's team will be playing in their third Pacific Series, with eight members of the 2005 national team. Travis Wilson played for the All Stars in the inaugural tournament and then for the Black Sox last year.
Heinie Shannon has yet to play for the Black Sox in the tournament. The Auckland pitcher played for Samoa in the 2005 and 2006.
Of the 17 players heading to Canberra, seven were members of the World Championship winning 2004 team. At those championships in Christchurch Heinie Shannon and Gus Leger played for Samoa and Wilson was a member of the 1996 world championship winning New Zealand team.
The top batters for the Black Sox at the previous two tournaments have been Donny Hale with 22 hits from 35 turns at bat, Thomas Makea with (14 hits from 39) and Brad Rona (15 from 33).
On the pitching mound the race will be on between Michael Gaiger and Jeremy Manley to overtake the 30 strike-outs that Marty Grant took in the first series.
Gaiger collected 17 in his two games at last year's tournament to go with the 11 he took in 2005 while Manley collected 26 in the 2006 championship.
Bernard Hale is the only one to debut for the Black Sox while late replacement to the side Gareth Cook last played for the Black Sox six years ago.
