AUSTRALIA LEAGUE ALL-STARS
Team distribution: Fitzroy (6), Newcastle (3), Newtown (3), Preston (3), Geelong (2), Manly (2), Parramatta (2), Adelaide (1), Canberra (1), Hawthorn (1), Penrith (1), St Kilda (1)
NEW ZEALAND LEAGUE ALL-STARS
Team distribution: Manawatu (6), Auckland (3), Bay of Plenty (3), Wellington (3), Canterbury (2), Counties Manukau (2), Hawkes Bay (2), Northland (1), Otago (1), Tasman (1), Waikato (1), Waitakere (1)
The first All-Star Game of the Russell Crowe Baseball Association had everything: stars, drama, and a Radiohead performance that derailed the whole evening. Supporting
Amnesiac, the band played sprawling 20-minute renditions of every track.
The game started three hours late.
Things kicked off with fireworks -- literally and figuratively. Auckland 3B Dan Penn took Parramatta SP Greg Magner deep in the top of the 1st. Newtown’s Jeremy Mason responded with a leadoff blast of his own off Northland’s Matthew McCullough in the bottom half. The twist? Mason hadn’t hit a single home run all year… until now.
In the 3rd, Wellington RF Stu Avon added to his MVP case with a solo shot off Newtown SP Ben Clark. Then Bay of Plenty’s Hank Alexander singled, stole second, and scored on Dean Goodwin’s RBI knock. NZ took a 3–1 lead.
Fitzroy closer Geoff Mullaney became the first pitcher to throw a clean 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 4th.
The Aussies chipped away in the 4th. Manly’s Liam O’Dwyer singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a Penrith SS Elkin Holt double. 3–2, and closing.
Jump to the 7th. Stu Avon singled with two outs and Manawatu’s Jeremiah Todd doubled him home to give New Zealand a 4–2 cushion.
And then the wheels came off.
Waikato closer Patrick Eton stumbled immediately: double, single, infield RBI, and a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Newtown C Russ Wakeford came through with a 2-RBI single. Just like that, Australia had the lead.
Adelaide’s Nathaniel Miller and Newcastle’s Shae Smith combined for the final six outs, shutting down New Zealand and sealing a 5–4 win.
One small problem: they’d already decided Stu Avon was MVP midway through the 7th. The engravers were working, the trophy was waiting, and Radiohead had already pushed the schedule to the brink -- so awkward or not, he got the honours.
In the Home Run Derby, Counties Manukau 2B Leon Irving outslugged teammate Greg Taylor in the final to claim the crown.