Former Maraenui, Hawke's Bay and New Zealand pitcher Regan Manley, who returns to Hastings with Hutt City for the ISA Classic on Saturday and Sunday. Photo / NZME
Former Maraenui, Hawke's Bay and New Zealand pitcher Regan Manley, who returns to Hastings with Hutt City for the ISA Classic on Saturday and Sunday. Photo / NZME
Unshakeable softball stalwart Craig Waterhouse isn't shedding too many tears over decisions made by international sides to bypass a Hawke's Bay tournament this weekend ahead of the World Softball Championships, which will be held in Auckland from November 26-December 4.
Run by the Central Vikings Softball Association in association withthe International Softball Academy and Hawke's Bay Softball, the 2022 ISA New Zealand Classic men's tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Akina Park, Hastings, is still the "biggest" pre-Christmas Senior men's tournament in New Zealand, apart from the World Championships, he says.
The World tournament starts the following Saturday, with 12 countries represented and the New Zealand Black Sox aiming to get the title back after finishing fourth behind winner Argentina in the Czech Republic three years ago.
Waterhouse said he had hopes at least one of the World tournament teams would have made the trip to the Classic, which has a history dating back to 1996.
But it will still have regular Classic winner Porirua and fellow Wellington side Island Bay, Hutt Valley side Hutt City, a Mates team bringing together players from Wellington, Hutt Valley and Manawatū, and Hawke's Bay sides Saints, Fastpitch, Maraenui Pumas and Mets, a side established by Hawke's Bay players who've played in the bigger cities before returning to the home-province to raise their families.
Former Maraenui, Hawke's Bay and New Zealand pitcher Regan Manley, whose coaching is taking Denmark through the World tournament, is playing for Hutt City, and Pumas have new international talent in Keegan Swanepoel, who recently fronted for South Africa in a World baseball qualifying stage.
Three diamonds will be in use at Akina Park, with games starting at 8am on Saturday and 9am on Sunday, when the final is expected to start at 1.30pm.
