MAD DOG BACKS DOWN

CROMWELL, NZ, sometime Monday
IN a surprise move, Mike "Mad Dog" Bassett, the current Australasian Globe Vista Cherry Pip Spitting Champion has pulled out of the Trans Tasman competition.
It is believed Bassett got cold feet after seeing Craig "Pretty Boy" McSharer spit at an after-event party.
Observers said McSharer spat well over 13 metres and that was well before he started on the NZ beer.
Bassett's replacement is a relative unknown, Sam "Horse Whisperer" Paardekooper.
Officials at the Cromwell New Zealand Cherry Stone Spitting Championships said The Whisperer spat 11.36m, some 0.16 metres further than MacSharer.
What this means is that without the Mad Dog in Manjimup the big spit off will be even closer than earlier expectations.
Bassett can spit, no-one doubts that, and he spits well under intense pressure, not least from the MC on the day, but the new NZ kid, from all accounts, looks good, spits good and never turns a cheek when slapped.
If you have never seen sensible adults line up and release cherry pips encased in saliva, this is the year.
Oh, local growers are saying there will be plenty of cherries for sale on the day.