Shane Foster goes into bat

Shane Foster will hold a muster at the Puriri St softball park next Wednesday to gauge support for a senior men's team to play in the Manawatu League this summer.

Shane Foster is going into bat for senior Whanganui softballers keen on the game.
Foster has been away from the sport for more than a decade after working on oil rigs off the Taranaki coast, but is keen to get back on the diamond.

"I'm calling for anyone keen to play senior men's softball in the Manawatu League this summer," Foster said.

"Whanganui hasn't had a senior men's competition for a few years, so I have approached the Manawatu Softball Association about the possibility of entering a team from here. They have said they can accommodate us, but the time frame of short.

"The Manawatu competition starts on September 30 and registrations close on Friday, although they have told me they will cut me some slack," Foster said.

Whanganui Softball Association secretary Lindsay Edwards said Foster had talked to him about arranging a team to play in the Manawatu league and he had mentioned it to members at the annual meeting recently.

"Shane is an individual arranging this to happen, but in conjunction with the association. He has our blessing and we will help where we can," Edwards said.

Foster said there was precedence for a Whanganui team to play in the Manawatu league.

"I was in a Whanganui team that won the Manawatu senior men's competition in our first season playing in that league in 1994. I moved to Auckland and played after that season, but the Whanganui team continued on for a year or so, but didn't win it again as far as I recall," Foster said.

"I'm holding a muster and the softball park in Puriri St at 5pm next Wednesday (September 20) to gauge the level of interest."