by Steve Fullan
GB Men's Team Manager
Auckland, New Zealand: 28 February: Yesterday, the 2013 GB Men's Fastpitch Team took on past members of the GB Team -- including a handful of players (Steve Jackson, Steve Tau, Clive Evan, Roger Marshman) from the team that played at ISF World Championships when they were last held in New Zealand in 2004 in Christchurch.
This was one of the current team's final matches before the 2013 World Championships start at 8.30 pm this evening UK time, with GB taking on Samoa in the tournament's opening game.
Quick start
In the first inning, the current team lined out four straight hits, including Kenny Pregnell's double that scored Luke Peters and Kevin Stockford and a triple by James Chalmers that scored Kenny and put GB up by three runs straightaway.
But the old GB team shrugged that off and put up an offensive show of their own in the bottom of the first, including a massive home run over the fence in centre field by leadoff batter Scott Dale and a string of safe hits from Clive Evans, Steve Jackson and Johnny Hewett.
This outburst levelled the score at 3-3, and the ex-GBs scored another three runs in the second inning to take a 6-3 lead.
Taking charge
The current squad didn't score again until the fifth inning, but then it was in spectacular fashion, with a two-run bomb by Darrin Newson.
Then the floodgates opened, with another six runs in the sixth inning that started with a huge homer by Luke Peters and singles from Josh Peat and Darrin Newson.
Hospitality
After the game, which the current GB Team won by 11-6, speeches followed dinner, which was paid for by the ex-GB members, and a GB top was presented to the Albert Ramblers Club for their hospitality.
This was followed by a speech from past Rambler member and current GB team player Kevin Stockford, who said, “These warm-up games are detrimental to our lead-up to the tournament!”
We were sure he meant “instrumental”, but everyone got a chuckle out of it. Catchers, eh?
