Auckland chasing ‘four-peat’
Name the New Zealand sportsman who has a world champion gold medal but is yet to play for his province in a national tournament?
Try Black Sox pitcher Campbell Gibson, who will make his National Fastpitch Championships (NFC) debut for triple titleholders Auckland today.
‘‘We were talking about that at our team meeting last night,’’ Auckland player-coach and Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku said.
‘‘He’s won a world title [with the Black Sox in 2017], but he hasn’t won the NFC. This is his first year representing Auckland. He was selected to play last year but he had to pull out with a health issue.’’
Auckland are favourites to win a fourth title on the bounce at the four-day tournament at Albany’s Rosedale Park.
No province has won four back-toback national tournaments since Wellington, from 1992 to 1995. The record is held by Hutt Valley, who won six in succession from 1962 to 1967 with the great Bill Massey on the pitching mound.
Nukunuku said Auckland, whose 15-man squad includes eight Black Sox world champions, would be strong, but would be fielding ‘‘three rookies – and all three are our pitchers’’.
Gibson will be joined by former Junior Black Sox hurler Daniel Chapman and Liam Twigden, who impressed Nukunuku in the first half of the Auckland club season.
‘‘When you play for a team like Auckland, there is high expectations and that pressure can get to young players,’’ Nukunuku said. ‘‘But we have got a good, experienced side and we should be able to provide them with some run cover and give them a bit more breathing room.’’
Nukunuku will lead a hitting lineup bolstered by Black Sox brothers Ben, Thomas and Campbell Enoka, star shortstop Cole Evans and catchers Kallan Compain and Zane van Lieshout.
The Auckland lineup is so strong that
2017 Black Sox gold medallist Isaac Fletcher has been released to join Counties Manukau as a draft player.
Nukunuku expects ‘‘the usual suspects’’, Hutt Valley and Canterbury, to again be Auckland’s chief title rivals.
Hutt have Black Sox hero Joel Evans, who hit the grand slam home run in the
2017 world championships final win over Australia, to head their hitting roster, along with former internationals Cory Timu, Craig Wallace and Gareth Cook (a transferee from Canterbury).
Nukunuku expects the Canterbury Red Sox to still be competitive, although he noted pitcher Ethan Johnston’s move to Indonesia ‘‘is probably a big loss to them’’.
Former Black Sox catcher Stephen Ratu will coach Canterbury, but won’t play, leaving the catching duties to Ihaka Davis and Ant Stuart.
While he is without Johnston and talented young outfielder Reilly Makea (playing in the NFC for the Junior Black Sox), Ratu will have Black Sox gold medallists Tyron Bartorillo and Josh Harbrow, ex-international Josh Harbrow, big-hitting Australian import Josh Hartwig and rising stars Jackson Watt, Callum Bishop and Bailey Hamilton. Canterbury still have the experienced Scott Sutherland and Ben Watts on the mound.
Wellington won’t have Black Sox pitcher Josh Pettett, who is taking a break from provincial softball, but Black Sox batters Wayne Laulu and Jerome Raemaki will add plenty of power.
North Harbour have been bolstered by former Black Sox infielder Tyson Byrne’s move from Hutt Valley. They can still call on Brad Rona, his son Pita and Hohepa Monk – all ex-Black Sox representatives – and have added Australian international Josh Davison and Japanese pitcher Yuya Yamawaki.
Left-handed Black Sox training squad pitcher Eru Drage will strengthen Counties Manukau and top jumps jockey Aaron Kuru will be in their infield.
The Junior Black Sox, coached by four-time world champion Thomas Makea, will play in the NFC as part of their preparation for the 2018 world under-19 championships in Canada.