By JULIE ASH
Three international softball teams will tour New Zealand this summer.
The world champion men's Black Sox will meet transtasman rivals Australia in a four-test series in October and the world No 2 side, Japan, in a five-test series in February.
The women's White Sox side will play South Korea
in February and should know by the end of the week whether Italy will visit in the same month.
Black Sox coach Don Tricker said the tours would give him the chance to look at players for the future, because there had been several changes to his team.
"Our goal is to win the World Series in 2004," he said.
"Japan have a very strong team. They have got a good depth in pitching, which is a huge advantage, and they are very good defensively.
"They are going to be a formidable test for us."
Japan will also take part in the Dean Schick Memorial tournament in Albany as a warm-up to the test series.
The South Korean women's side finished inside the top 10 at the previous World Series, in Japan in 1998.
White Sox captain Fiona Timu said it was great to be playing an international team at home, because it was a rare opportunity.
"It will be good to play them and see exactly where we are at before the World Series in Canada in July," she said.
The White Sox are also waiting to hear whether an Italian women's team will also tour in February.
The New Zealand under-16 boys team will play a series against Australia in July 2002, and a similar series is planned for the under-19 girls.
Softball New Zealand chief executive Haydn Smith also announced a four-year sponsorship deal with Bartercard.
The company has the naming rights for the Black Sox and the White Sox teams, and will also support six regional slow-pitch competitions aimed at social players.
