The organizing Committee of the XIIISF World Men's World Softball Championship Softball is pleased to announce that fans from around the globe can watch the best softball in the world, through video streaming. As a result of a partnership with Softball Canada all games played at Bob Van Impe Stadium will be made available through pay per view, video streaming. 
A number of the games will include live play by play. The cost for a complete tournament package is $59.95 or $39.95for the final 10 games. 
Fans can gain access through the tournament websitemedia link at the top of the page- 

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Canterbury Red Sox captain Stephen Ratu has been added to the Black Sox team for the  world championships in Saskatoon, Canada in July.

( view tournament schedule here )
Ratu has replaced Wellington’s Aaron Neemia who withdrew from the side for personal reasons.
His inclusion in the side ends a frustrating year for the catcher whose involvement with the national team ended prematurely after a niggly back injury forced him to return home early during the Black Sox trip to Argentina late last year.
Ratu’s inclusion in the team brings the number of Canterbury players in the side to four with Daniel Milne, Gareth Cook and Travis Wilson named in the team at the end of February.
Ratu this weekend, along with his Black Sox team mates Milne and Cook, play for the Canterbury Red Sox team in the Southern Cross Challenge which is being held at the Mainland Foundation Park in Christchurch. The men’s final will be held on Sunday.

Also involved in the Southern Cross Challenge is Jeremy Manley, playing for Hutt City and Thomas Enoka, Marty Grant and Rhys Casley who are in the Te Waipounamu team. 

 
Work commitments may have kept Travis Wilson off the softball diamond in recent weeks, but the infielder has been selected in the Black Sox team announced at the conclusion of the National Softball League finals for the world championships which will be played in Saskatoon, Canada in July with the Black Sox team departing for Canada at the end of June.

Wilson is employed by New Zealand Cricket as the fielding coach for the Black Caps and because of commitments to that team he has been unavailable for the Black Sox, missing the South America tour in November and then last month’s Pacific Series in Apia, Samoa.

“We have missed him on our last couple of tours, but I think the break will do him good,”Black Sox coach Eddie Kohlhase said.

Wilson has had world championship experience. He was a member of the team that won the tournament in 1996, he then signed a baseball contract with the Atlanta Braves and pursued a career in that code until four years ago.

“He brings to the team another professional approach from both his time with baseball and with the Black Caps.”

While Wilson’s inclusion in the team is no surprise the call-up of brothers Ben and Thomas Enoka is. The two were both members of the Junior Black Sox team that finished fourth at their world championship last year, but had not featured in any of the senior team’s program leading up to the team announcement.

“They are the real bolters,” Kohlhase said.

“I think they have a very big future in the game.

“Both boys remind me of a couple of the young guys I played with – Mark Sorenson and Travis Wilson. They were young schoolboy stars and started young in the premier grades. We just see these two as being players who can contribute to the total package of the team.

“We are also known for picking young players and having them front up for the big time.”

As expected Kohlhase has named a pitching staff of four with veteran Marty Grant joined on that roster by Jeremy Manley, Heinie Shannon and Thomas Enoka.

For Grant this will be his fourth world championship tournament. Had injury not ruled him out on the eve of the 2004 event in Christchurch it would have been his fifth.

From the team that won the title in Christchurch five years ago seven players – captain Jarrad Martin, Patrick Shannon, Brad Rona, Nathan Nukunuku, Roman Gabriel, Thomas Makea and Donny Hale have retained their place in the line-up. However, catcher Aaron Neemia and pitcher Heinie Shannon were both members of the Samoa team at the 2004 world championships.

For Kohlhase the trimming of his squad to just 17 players was not an easy one, including four players who were members of the team in 2004 and were in the training squad for this tournament.

“It has been a big call,” Kohlhase said.

“The players have just been unable to recapture the form that they had in 2004.

“There are some unlucky players and they will be disappointed.”

While the Black Sox are hoping to win a fourth consecutive world crown, the team does not talk about defending their title. Instead the focus will go on winning a world championship. 

Black Sox: Ben Enoka, Roman Gabriel, Donny Hale Nathan Nukunuku, Heinie Shannon, Patrick Shannon (Auckland 39ers), Gareth Cooke, Daniel Milne, Travis Wilson, Stephen Ratu (Canterbury Red Sox), Jeremy Manley, Rhys Casley (Hutt Valley), Thomas Enoka, Brad Rona (North Harbour), Marty Grant (Southern Pride), Jarrad Martin, Thomas Makea (Wellington Lancers).