Australia's Melanie Roche pitches last September in her team's 1-0 playoff win over China at the ISF Women's World Championship. (Photo by China Interactive Sports)

CHINA-AUSSIE SERIES CAPS VENUE OPENING
2007-04-13

In a three-game test series in Australia that starts tonight, 2006 ISF Women’s World Championship bronze medalist Australia is taking on China, who finished fourth last September.

The first game will follow the official opening of an international-standard softball diamond in Brisbane. The new State Softball Centre includes lighting, grandstand seating, dugouts, and a training facility and received almost $1.6 million in construction financing from the state government.

Prior to tonight’s activity, China was scheduled to have played the Queensland State team in three exhibition games over the last two days. Their game against the Aussie Spirit tonight will be followed by two tomorrow evening.

Australian Coach Fabian Barlow said, “This series will be a great indicator for where we are at as a team 16 months out from Beijing (2008 Olympics) and also provide an opportunity for the athletes to continue their strong domestic form and show that they can raise it to the international level that the China team will demand of us.”

Australia defeated China, 1-0, last September to advance to a game against the USA that the Americans won, 5-1, leaving the Aussies with the world championship bronze medals and sending Team USA to the gold medal game versus Japan.

This weekend’s activity is the first of a two-part series that will conclude next weekend (April 20-21) in Sydney. As build up for this series the China team will play the New South Wales State team as well as the Australian Under-19 Women’s team, which will also double up as preparation for the latter's upcoming play at the International Softball Federation’s Junior World Championship (June 20-30 in Enschede, the Netherlands).