Reigning champions ENB eye another softball title

REIGNING PNG Games softball champions East New Britain head into the three-team competition eyeing a second straight title.
The competition starts today at the San Remo sports precinct softball diamond where East New Britain, Madang and host, West New Britain are the only teams set to compete for the gold medal.
Softball competition manager Moses Tolingling said it was disappointing to see other centres not sending their teams which defeated the purpose of having a PNG Games softball competition.
“I am really disappointed with the turn-out from provinces. The PNG Games is the opportunity where unknown talents can be tapped in various sports, and softball is no exception,” Tolingling said.
East New Britain are the men’s defending champions and will be favoured to add another gold medal to the one they won in 2014 while their women are expected to contend for the gold medal after champions New Ireland withdrew from the Games.
Tolingling said Madang, who used to dominate the club championships were probably the side to challenge ENB while hosts West New Britain would have the home court advantage.
Tolingling said he understood that financial contraints was the main reason why the majority of teams could not attend the Games but said they would carry on with their competition and he expected the matches to be intense as all the focus would be on a small number of teams.
The games will be played in a league format where the team with the most wins or best winning percentage out of the matches against each side wins the gold medal and the next best side claims the silver and last placed team claims the bronze.