White Sox name bigger squad

The New Zealand White Sox have taken a different approach in selecting a squad for the 2018 women’s world softball championships in Japan in August.

Head coach Kevin Gettins has opted to name 21 players – with four to be omitted in early June to fill the 17-maximum world tournament roster. Gettins said the rationale was two-fold. ‘‘From our review of our preparation for the last world championships in 2016 and our trip to Japan last year we identified some areas we thought we could improve on and do better.

‘‘One of them was the preparation leading up to the world championships. By naming an extended squad we want to keep some tension within the group to keep everyone striving for selection,’’ he said.

‘‘Going back over the years on all world championships I have attended we’ve had to bring in players because someone has pulled out for various reasons. ‘‘This way, we’ll have players who will have been training hard into June if the need arises.’’

Gettins said keeping selection open for another two months would allow some players with niggly injuries to recover.

Former White Sox captain Katrina Nukunuku’s name is missing from the 21-member squad after playing at four world championships since 2006. Gettins said competition had been hot for Nukunuku’s third base role.

The White Sox squad features nine American-based players, including four of the six pitchers – 21-year-old college scholarship holders Courtney Gettins (University of Alabama) and Amy Begg (Morgan State University), Nyree White and recent graduate Taylor Paige-stewart.

Gettins expects the White Sox to take five pitchers in the 17-strong world championships squad. He has named four catchers in the provisional group, Melanie Gettins, Kyla Bromhead and Stefanie Smith – who were in the 2016 team – and young Aucklander Zoe Tolhopf.

Coach Gettins will name the final 17-strong squad in the first week of June.

The White Sox will assemble in Surrey, British Columbia on July 12 to compete in the Canada Cup International Fastpitch Championships.

They head to Chiba, Japan for the 2018 World Baseball Softball Council (WBSC) world championships from August 2-12, which is expected to be a key qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.