Cushla Lichtwark loses Pulse captaincy

Dumped Pulse captain Cushla Lichtwark bears no hard feelings towards her surprise successor.

Australian shooting import and Pulse newcomer Jane Altschwager takes over the captaincy from Lichtwark after a team vote.

Lichtwark, who held the reins last season and is a valued defender in the side, said Altschwager could count on her full support.

"We all got asked about who should be captain, and Jane was someone who I wrote down because even though she's only been here a few weeks, you respect what she brings to the team," said Lichtwark, who graciously fronted media last year after consecutive ANZ Championship losses.

Lichtwark also missed out on the vice-captain's position to New Zealand defender Katrina Grant, but without an official role she plans to focus on making the wing defence bib her own when the league gets under way in a fortnight.

She has recovered from an ankle injury which hampered her last season.

"I'll just try and bring my absolute best game," Lichtwark said.

The leadership reshuffle also coincided with a fresh start for the Pulse finances announced yesterday.

After two years of publicised woes, the Wellington-based team has secured a major sponsor in a three-year deal.

Board chairman Nigel Kirkpatrick said the board of management and new chief executive Bridget Abernethy had steered the turnaround which resulted in Chinese whiteware manufacturer Haier claiming the title of naming rights sponsor.

While neither party would reveal the dollar value of the deal, insiders believe it may be worth around $250,000 over three years. The team will be known as the Haier Pulse.

The Pulse's pre-season intensifies tomorrow as the side travels to Sydney to face all the big guns including the five Australian franchise teams at the SOPA Cup, the official pre-season tournament. The Southern Steel is the other New Zealand side contesting the three-day event.

The NSW Swifts have injury concerns ahead of the event, with their Australian shooter Catherine Cox sidelined following foot surgery.

Altschwager has also been sidelined in recent weeks with a foot problem and she will be given a lighter workload this weekend.

- © Fairfax NZ News