Softball: World champions, but not that you'd know it

The Black Sox retained their world title this year, but the players are struggling to make ends meet and potential sponsors show no interest. Despite that, life must go on. SUZANNE McFADDEN reports.

Black Sox first baseman Jarrad Martin will finish his day's work as an electrician, jump in his car and play a softball test against Australia tonight.

It is a similar story for the rest of the Wellington players in New Zealand's world champion team, and even their coach, Don Tricker.

They might be smack bang in the middle of a six-test series against the Australians - New Zealand's first home tour in five years - but the stars still have to do their real jobs by day.

The Auckland-based players have to miss tonight's test in Hutt Valley and tomorrow's game in Wellington because they could not ask for more time off work.

It all comes down to the age-old dilemma of dollars, which have not come rolling in since the Black Sox successfully defended the world title in South Africa this year.

"We might have captured the people's imagination, but we still haven't captured a corporate backer," Tricker lamented.

So far, this series has been a walkover - the Kiwis winning 9-0 and 10-3 at their South Island stops.

But that is exactly what Tricker hoped for.

"We wanted New Zealanders to see for themselves why the guys are the world champions, why they are some of the greatest softballers ever," he said.

"Hopefully, this will get a few more people back to the diamonds, get more people playing, and ultimately get a sponsor."

The Black Sox's humble lodgings and meagre funds at the World Series made them famous on their return home.

"We've done the door knocking," Tricker said. "But at the end of the day, whether or not we have a corporate backer is not going to make the difference in defending our World Series title.

"We'll just get on with what we've got, like we did last time."

Still, the Black Sox would like to reap the spinoffs of a big sponsor. One of the benefits would be the opportunity to play a series at home every year.

The ultimate would be to bring the 2004 World Series to New Zealand.

This weekend the Black Sox take their travelling roadshow to Auckland, playing the fifth test at North Harbour on Saturday, and the final game the following day at the Mangere Lion Red Ballpark.

This is a farewell tour for some of the softball stars.

Players such as Dean Rice and Mark Sorensen are on the verge of retiring, and once this series is over, Tricker wants to start with a clean slate for the next World Series.

"Of this 17-strong team, 10 could easily be there in four years," he said.

"The players want to come back because the challenge of winning the World Series three times in a row is really huge.

"At the top, things are looking excellent.

"We've never had so many world-class players - there were guys who missed out on going to the world champs who could have been there and we've got more young players coming through."

The road is rougher for the Australians. They finished a disappointing 12th at the world championships when they were ranked sixth, and are now suffering at the hands of the euphoric New Zealanders, who don't intend to show any mercy.

"What you're seeing this week is exactly what should be happening," Tricker said.

"We should be smashing home runs and pitchers should be shutting the opposition out. This is the best team in the world, and we want New Zealanders to see that."

Last night in Hastings, Australia beat the New Zealand Maori side 4-1, after going down 0-2 to a Hawkes Bay invitation side.