World Nº 4 Australia named a 29-athletes preliminary roster for the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship, slated to be played in Prague, Havlickuv Brod, Czech Republic, from 13-23 June, 2019. Veterans Adam Folkard, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Nick Norton and Nick Shailes, members of the Australian World Champion team of 2009, lead this year’s preliminary squad, aiming to win their second World Championship ever.
All 17 players are returning from the World Championship 2017 silver-medal roster. Australia lost the final game played in Whitehorse, Canada, against New Zealand by a score of 6-4, earning their fourth medal in history.
Among those named to the preliminary roster are three members of the 2018 Junior Men’s National Team that crowned World Champions in Prince Albert, Canada: Michael Ludkin, Layton Reid and Jett Wright.
See the full roster here.
Laing Harrow leaves his position as Aussie Steelers Head Coach
Softball Australia also announced that Laing Harrow will step away from his Head Coaching role with the Men’s National Team to focus his efforts on the Women’s Softball National Team. Harrow guided Australia to its fourth medal (silver) at the last WBSC World Championship in 2017.
Softball Australia will begin the recruitment process for a new Head Coach of the Aussie Steelers in the coming days.
