D-Day for Giants

Giants are taking a "must win" mentality into their Inter-City series premier league men's softball match with Kapiti at Fraser Park, Upper Hutt tomorrow.
The Masterton-based side is intent on making the top six play-offs for the very first time and while they currently sit third on the competition table they can ill afford to drop any matches against lower-placed sides.
Kapiti falls into that category. They have managed just the one win in their four matches and lie eighth on the table.
But it hasn't been lost on Giants management that they have picked up bonus point in two of their losses and that their lone victory was over a leading contender for a top six spot in Cardinals.
"They (Kapiti) are certainly a stronger side than their current standing would suggest and we know we will have to pull out all stops to beat them," Giants assistant coach Russell Thompson said. "There is no reason to be complacent?none at all."
Aiding the Giants cause though is the fact that Kapiti will be without their star pitcher Sean Jamieson who will be on duty with the Hutt Valley national league team.
He was sure to be a thorn in their side and obviously the powerful Giants batting line-up, which includes several players with averages of .300 or better will be keen to gain quick ascendancy over his replacement. "Batting has been our greatest strength and hopefully we can be dominant in that department," Thompson said. "We need to get on top early there and keep the pressure on."
With Richard Clarke on the injured list either Justin Karaitiana or Blair Thompson will be on the pitching mound for Giants and both will be keen to press claims for selection in the Hutt Valley NPC side which is due to be named any time now.
That side is second only to the national league line-up in the representative scheme of things and Russell Thompson believes Giants have "four or five" players who could justifiably be included in it.
"Again it's a matter of the team playing well to keep the names of the players in front of the selectors," he said.
Clarke won't be the only first string player missing from the Giants squad for tomorrow's match. A leading figure in the field in Terry Waitere is unavailable as is the experienced Neil Foote.
Meanwhile, Giants are planning what they are labelling a "corporate day" for South Park in Masterton on Saturday, December 3. It is their way of saying thank you to their many sponsors and supporters and food and drink will be served while games are being played.
The Giants premier one side will play a double header against Cardinals and the latter will be desperate to revenge the bruising 16-2 loss they suffered at the hands of Giants earlier in the season.
Also playing at South Park on the same day will be the Giants premier two and vets teams so there will be action aplenty for spectators.