THE PRESS, Christchurch Tuesday, November 1, 2011 SPORT B15 CRICKET SOFTBALL NZ pair Wright feeling the flat-track blues in Hall Mark Geenty HOW THEY LINE UP of Fame It’s not often New Zealand are ■ What: New Zealand v as skinny as $1.50 with the Zimbabwe, one-off test bookies to win a cricket test. Tony Smith ■ Where: Queens Sports Club, Coach John Wright is a Bulawayo touch jittery about Former New Zealand pitching ■ When: 9pm tonight (day expectations his side – stars Gina Weber and Chubb one of five) playing their first test since Tangaroa have been elected to ■ TV: Sky Sport 1 January – will wipe the floor the International Softball Fed- ■ New Zealand (likely): with Zimbabwe as they did by eration Hall of Fame. Brendon McCullum, Martin an innings during their Weber, originally from Guptill, Kane Williamson, previous visit in 2005. Wellington, represented New Ross Taylor (c), Dean ‘‘This wicket is going to be Zealand at four world cham- Brownlie, B J Watling, flat as hell,’’ he said ahead of pionships – winning a gold Daniel Vettori, Reece day one (9pm NZ time medal in 1982, silver in 1990 Young, Doug Bracewell, tonight). ‘‘It will be very hard and bronze in 1986 – and at the Andy McKay or Graeme to get wickets and all the 2000 Olympic Games in Syd- Aldridge, Chris Martin. batsmen will be looking ney. ■ Zimbabwe: TBA. forward to having a bat.’’ Tangaroa, now based in ■ Umpires: Bruce Oxenford Bulawayo’s Queens Sports Hawke’s Bay, had a long (Australia), Marais Erasmus Club produced a 657-run international career with the (South Africa). thriller in the final ODI last Black Sox, culminating in a ■ TAB odds: NZ $1.50, week, when New Zealand gold medal at the 1996 world Zimbabwe $7.50, draw couldn’t defend 328-5. championships. He was New $3.30 Pakistan took until day Zealand pitching coach when ■ Test history: Played 13, NZ five to dispatch the hosts by the Black Sox won the 2004 won 7, drawn 6 seven wickets on the same world title in Christchurch ■ In Bulawayo: Played 4, NZ ground in September. Zim- and took over the role again won 2, drawn 2 babwe opener Tino Mawoyo this year. ■ Most recent: NZ beat carried his bat for 645 minutes Canterbury’s Russell Zimbabwe by an innings in scoring 163 not out and it Moffatt, a long-time Black Sox and 46 runs, Bulawayo, took the tourists 150.4 overs to team statistician and scorer, August 2005. dislodge the hosts in their also received an ISF award for first innings. It might not be meritorious service. pretty viewing for the fumbles of Zimbabwe’s Mal- The awards were con- insomniacs. colm Waller last week. ferred at the ISF Congress at Still, anything less than a After barely raising a Oklahoma City last weekend. New Zealand victory will sweat in the first four The congress gave its raise eyebrows, even if they matches, things went awry for support to continuing talks are ranked eighth in the New Zealand on their African with the International Base- world. The home attack is safari this past week. Already ball Federation to explore the weak, New Zealand’s batsmen without Tim Southee (knee) possibility of a joint Olympic are in form and there’s and Hamish Bennett (back), Games reinstatement bid. enough bowling firepower via they lost the final ODI and Meanwhile, the ISF con- Chris Martin, chasing his senior paceman Kyle Mills Head scratcher: Black Caps coach John Wright has to cook up strategies to take 20 Zimbabwean wickets on a flat deck. Photo: DEAN KOZANIC firmed the Netherlands city of 200th test wicket, and the spin was sent home with a groin Haarlem will host the 2014 of Daniel Vettori. The pair injury. Then Jesse Ryder hoped McKay would share the second spinner, and he Wright’s plans to get 15 overs about Ryder’s fitness issues. fair share of niggles. Jesse’s world women’s champion- took six wickets between suffered a tour-ending calf new ball with Martin, other- favoured playing six batsmen, out of the top six batsmen. His The 27-year-old has returned disappointed, obviously. He’s ships – which will be the first them to dismiss Zimbabwe A strain on Sunday after bowl- wise it would be three test meaning B J Watling will join bowling career will now be on home early from three of New been working reasonably to be held in Europe. for 241 at the weekend. ing just three deliveries. debutants, with Graeme Brownlie in the middle order. ice, and Kane Williamson, Zealand’s last four tours. Last hard on getting fitter.’’ The 2015 men’s world ‘‘We’re going to have to Wright said left-arm Aldridge joining selection ‘‘We’ll probably need six Martin Guptill and the year an elbow problem forced Medical staff remain hope- championships will be held at work really hard with the ball paceman Andy McKay is certainties Doug Bracewell batters against Australia (in medium pace of Brownlie will him home from the T20 World ful Ryder, Southee and Mills Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and and hold our catches,’’ Wright recovering from a stomach and Dean Brownlie. December) so we’ll more than now have to complement the Cup, then a calf strain cut can be fit for consideration for the 2014 junior men’s world said, perhaps in reference to upset picked up during the Wright hinted Jeetan Patel likely go that way.’’ four frontliners. short his tour of India. the first test against Australia championships will also be captain Ross Taylor’s three Zimbabwe A match. Wright was unlikely to play as a Ryder’s latest injury foiled Wright was diplomatic ‘‘He certainly picks up his in Brisbane on December 1. staged in Canada at Whitehorse, Yukon, where the women’s world champion- ships will be held next year. ATHLETICS MOUNTAINBIKING Club competitors RUGBY Joseph has to curb enthusiasm Henry to turn to Timaru Kevin Tutty Switzerland in August, her rider in the Olympic race. the Oceania championships best result for two years after Joseph knows she is get- in Rotorua, and she will have Canterbury athletes are trav- getting our athletes down to Rosara Joseph says she is her battling a debilitating thyroid ting back to near peak fitness probably three or four World tell plans elling to Timaru once a month Timaru so they can compete own worst enemy when it problem which kept her off after her world champion- Cup races before the Olympic for interclub events, with on an all-weather track.’’ comes to training. the competitive scene for nine ships effort. team is finalised. All Blacks coach Graham QEII Stadium out of bounds Reese said many second- The 2008 Beijing Olympic months. ‘‘I was really happy with The first is in South Africa Henry will reveal his future due to earthquake damage. ary school athletes had been mountainbiking representa- Joseph also completed a that result. It’s been quite a in March, and although it is a plans today. Athletics Canterbury is competing in Timaru but tive is chasing selection for PhD in law at Oxford Univer- challenging few seasons. It long journey it will be Henry has called a press looking to set up a base at senior grade entries had been the London Olympics next sity this year and she now has was great to feel like I finally important for the later World conference at noon at the Rawhiti Domain after using disappointing. year but is having to temper one focus, winning selection had a good race,’’ Joseph said. Cup races. Auckland University Rugby Burnside High School as a The next interclub event in her eagerness to ensure she in the Olympic team. She rode at the world ‘‘The way you line up at Club. temporary home. Timaru will be held on does not overdo the training, After finishing ninth in championships with a power the start of races is deter- New Zealand Rugby Union But Athletics Canterbury November 26, and athletes and travel, in her buildup. Beijing she feels she has meter on her bike and the mined by your position in the chief executive Steve Tew will track and field committee will return south on January ‘‘Overdoing things is my unfinished business that she results added to her confi- World Cup series. It makes it also be present, which secretary Andrew Reese said 7 for the Lovelock Classic biggest problem,’’ laughed can rectify in London. dence. difficult if you miss races,’’ indicates Henry will stay in yesterday the centre was meet. ‘‘We are holding the Joseph yesterday. ‘‘It’s a New Zealand is likely to ‘‘The results looked good Joseph said. New Zealand, probably in staging events every four Canterbury championships in constant balance and a chal- Rosara Joseph have only one representative but you know when you are She had a chance to ride some sort of coach mentoring weeks at Timaru’s Aorangi Timaru in February and lenge for any athlete, but in the women’s cross-country feeling fit and strong and the Olympic course in a test and development role. Park stadium. March,’’ Reese said. every year you learn a little her buildup in an attempt to mountainbiking and Joseph rested and have the right event in July. Meanwhile, Tonga and the ‘‘It’s the only all-weather Athletics Canterbury is more and apply the lessons.’’ win selection for her second is the frontrunner with her balance between training, ‘‘It’s physically tough Cook Islands have qualified track in Canterbury at the looking to establish a grass Joseph is coached by Andy Olympic Games.