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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Tauranga Boys' chasing national cricket title

Peter White
By Peter White
Sports writer·Bay of Plenty Times·
1 Dec, 2017 03:00 AM3 mins to read

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Tauranga Boys' First XI captain Mikaere Leef at training this week ahead of the nationals. Photo/George Novak

Tauranga Boys' First XI captain Mikaere Leef at training this week ahead of the nationals. Photo/George Novak

The last time Tauranga Boys' College won the national secondary schools cricket title a young batsman named Kane Williamson was in the team.

That side, back in the 2005 summer, also included Tim Clarke and Matt Golding who were both part of the coaching group taking this year's First XI to the nationals in Palmerston North.

It is the first time Tauranga Boys' have beaten Hamilton Boys' High School since 2011 to help win the right to represent Northern Districts at the tournament renamed the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cup.

Hopes are high the squad captained by Mikaere Leef and coached by Charles Williams may emulate that illustrious team from the past.

Leef, 18, says all the boys in the team are well aware of the history in what used to be called the Gillette Cup.

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"Obviously we want to surpass the last efforts in 2011 when we went and try to match the team of 2005. We don't have any people who stand out massively but everyone works as one big unit really and that has certainly helped us get to the finals," Leef said.

Leef is in his third year in the First XI. He says reaching the finals has been a goal since he has been at the school.

"We haven't been since I was Year 9 and it has been pretty much the same group of boys playing all the way through which helps. It has always been Hamilton Boys' and we have always wanted to tip them over. We are really pleased we did it this year."

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Tauranga Boys' play in the top tier Premier grade of the Baywide competition which Leef says is an advantage going down to Palmerston North.

"It is probably more beneficial psychologically than anything else. We certainly know we have the skills to play in the men's comp. Hopefully it will give us an edge over a couple of the other teams from playing against the men every week."

Head coach Williams, who also is the Bay of Plenty senior coach, says the opposition they will face in Palmerston North will be of a typically high standard.

"We are unsure who we are going to be up against at this stage but I would say the big ones to be facing are Otago Boys', Christchurch Boys' and Hutt International from the Wellington region. We know Christchurch Boys' are always one of the top sides in New Zealand.

"The interesting part is that the [New Zealand] under-19s are on at the same time so there could be some players missing from each side."

Williams believes his team are good enough to win and are not going there to make up the numbers.

"We have a young side with eight players back next year but we think we have the skills and the goods to be able to do it this year.

"The team that won it last time for us had the New Zealand captain playing in that team. You never know, we could have the future New Zealand captain in this side."

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