It was Greek philosopher Aristotle who said "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts", and Tauranga Boys' College cricket coach Mark Orchard said it sums up his side perfectly as they head to the 22nd national Gillette Cup finals in Christchurch today.
Three years after Tauranga Boys' last played in the Gillette Cup they're back in the fold and will take on the five other major association champions - Christ's College (Canterbury), Palmerston North Boys' High (Central Districts), King's College (Auckland), Hutt International Boys' School (Wellington) and Otago Boys' High (Otago).
Orchard, a former first-class allrounder with the Northern Knights, said there was no obvious standout in the mould of Black Caps batsman Kane Williamson, who played in three Gillette Cup finals for Tauranga Boys', in this year's first XI.
"Our strength is that we're strong right across the board - it's a classic case of the whole being greater than all the individuals," Orchard said.
"We seem to possess one of everything - a legspinner, left-arm fast bowler, two good opening batsmen, a 'keeper who bats and a captain who really knows his stuff. Throw in some Northern Districts players who are good honest toilers and it feels like a complete team, although whether we're ready to win a tournament of this calibre only time will tell."
First equal in 2005, Tauranga Boys' bagged three successive third place finishes before failing to qualify the last two seasons - something that rankles captain Elliot Timoti.
"The past two years I've been in sides that have lost the regional final, one game short, so it's been frustrating. Starting in Year 11 I've played with guys with talent and every year I've been hopeful, but this year's team seems to be a good allround unit, well balanced with youth and experience. We're a good chance, but with only four Year 13 players leaving this year the next two years look even more exciting."
After 21 years in Palmerston North this year's final moves to Canterbury and New Zealand Cricket's High Performance Centre at Lincoln University, with coloured clothing and a white ball used for the first time as well.
The 2011 finalists include three teams returning from last year - Hutt International Boys' School, Palmerston North Boys' High and last year's champions King's College. All six finalists will play each other in a 50-over, round-robin format.
The Cup has launched over 60 players into first class cricket, with 14 graduating into the ranks of the Black Caps. All six finalists will play each other in a 50-over, round-robin format.
Tauranga Boys' squeezed past Hamilton Boys' High in the Northern Districts final by two wickets, having edged St Peters in their association semifinal.
"We didn't make it easy on ourselves in either playoff and they were both games we could easily have lost," Orchard said. "But the good thing we learned about winning close is that we know we can win tight ones, and with the crowd that came down and the closeness of the game it really enhanced the culture of cricket at the school."
Timoti hasn't been afraid to make full use of Orchard's tactical nous and said his own ability to read a game and set fields had grown immeasurably. "His knowledge has been a huge boost for me and playing Gillette Cup (Orchard only plays in Saturday Baywide cricket) then I'm far more confident of the decisions I'm making."
Tauranga Boys' Baywide form has been less-than-startling recently; in fact they've lost three of their four Saturday games since qualifying for the Gillette Cup to topple from the top of the standings. Orchard isn't concerned.
"We had the four weaker sides in the Bay competition to start with.
"Since we qualified for Gillette we played Greerton and lost by a wicket, were outplayed by full-strength Cadets and Mount teams and were beaten in the Twenty20 last weekend by Cadets before beating the Mount.
"The boys have learned some lessons but I'm picking schoolboy cricket over the next week will be a lot different."
Gillette Cup
Tauranga Boys' College first XI: Elliot Timoti (captain), Francois Potgieter, Tom MacRury, Alex Oakley, Cam Neal, Joshua Dwight, Tommy Clout, Ben Musgrave, Mitch Bodnar, Myles Timoti, James Boyd, Henry Conway.
Playing schedule (Lincoln University):
Tomorrow: v Christ's College.
Saturday: v Palmerston North Boys' High.
Sunday: v King's College.
Monday: v Hutt International Boys' School
Tuesday: v Otago Boys' High School.