Oamaru
After back-to-back titles, Oamaru are out to complete the hat-trick.
Only two clubs have won three in a row in the last 30 years (Union from 2009-12 and Albion from 2013-15) so the defending champs will be keen to join the list.
They return the bulk of their squad, although they have swapped out Englishman Brad Flint for his fellow countryman Alfie Mcmylor.
Mcmylor will slot in in the top order and can also contribute some handy offspin.
Wicket-keeper batter Luke Taylor will be available for the entire summer after dealing with injuries a season ago and Hawke Cup trio Nick Johnston, Stephan Grobler and Hunter Wardle are all class.
Johnston will captain the side again and said while a threepeat would be "quite nice" their first goal was to make the top four.
"We’re just really looking for consistency.
"We’ve been enjoying our cricket the last couple of years so we’re just really trying to be consistent and have some fun."
Union
Union are hoping it will be fourth time lucky this season.
They have been beaten finalists for the last three seasons and are hoping this is the summer they get over the hump.
Their batting stocks have been given a boost with Jeremiah Shields returning to the club after spending last season with Glenavy.
Union also welcome an overseas player Archie Chatfield from England who will bat in the middle order.
Last season’s leading wicket-taker Brad Fleming is one of the key returnees as well as youngsters Thomas Anderson and Liam Mavor.
Jeremiah’s brother Thomas, Hawke Cup all-rounder Scott Kitto and wicket-keeper Ant Cromwell are the big omissions.
Captain Blake James said the focus would be on "just being consistent week in, week out".
While they would love to lift the Borton Cup for the first time since 2021, their first goal was making the semifinals, he said.
"Make that top four and then work from there."
Union face St Kevin’s College first up tomorrow.
Albion
An improved performance a season ago could propel Albion to new heights this summer.
While Englishman Lyle Aichroth will not return after a solid campaign as the club’s overseas player, their squad still looks strong.
North Otago representative Amal Ashok is a superstar with the bat but it is their bowling attack that will be their real strength.
Captain Hayden Creedy, Aneesh Bose and Tom Squire are as good a seam bowling trio as you will find in the competition.
Supporting their bowlers with high energy in the field will be crucial for Albion’s success, Creedy said.
"Batting, we’re a bit hit and miss on occasion but if we can really nail our fielding and be on top of that all the time then we put ourselves in good stead to win a lot of games."
Creedy hoped to be in the hunt for the title but that all starts with securing a top-four finish.
"That semifinals spot is always that key."
Valley
The men out at Weston enjoyed a welcome return to the semifinals last summer and are hoping to go one further this time around.
Valley’s numbers look strong and they’ve brought in some young talent, captain Jack Price said.
"Our team on paper, we should be quite strong.
"I think the key this year is actually just putting consistent performances together."
Hawke Cup veteran Cameron Grubb will spearhead the bowling attack, with Price taking the gloves and leading a young batting lineup that includes brothers Toby and Hunter Growcott as well as Campbell Fowler.
Their biggest loss is all-rounder Jake Matthews who is out with injury.
All things going according to plan, Price and company could be in the hunt for a top four spot come February.
"We made semifinals last year so it would be nice to go a step further and make a final and potentially win a Borton Cup.
"That’s the end goal for most teams, I’d say."
Glenavy
A settled Glenavy squad are hoping to make the Borton Cup semifinals for just the second time.
Captain Zach Graham, youngsters Jordan Mulligan and Harry Murphy alongside big hitting batters Rodney Van Leewuen and Hamish McCulloch make up the Rangers’ spine.
They will miss Jeremiah Shields at the top of the order but reinforcements could be on the way.
Glenavy are hoping to welcome a handful of cricketers from Waimate, Graham said.
"They just play in the second grade comp in South Canterbury so there’s a couple of young guys there keen to play senior cricket."
An improved performance with the ball and in the field last summer has the team’s hopes high heading into the new season.
"We certainly bowled a lot more teams out last year and it’s probably strength of ours."
They are also aiming to win back the Marshall Smith Memorial Trophy from Albion.
"That’s a big trophy for the club so we’ll certainly be up for that one."
St Kevin’s College
A new-look St Kevin’s College side will take to the field this season.
Teacher in charge of cricket Craig Smith said they have a "fairly youthful" squad..
"A couple of year 13s have moved on since the start of the year."
They will also be without North Otago opener Jack Kelly who, while still at the school, will ply his trade in club cricket in Dunedin this season as he prepares for the Hawke Cup campaign and representative tournaments.
Player-coaches Jacob Fowler and Liam Direen are returning, however, to form one of the most formidable new ball bowling partnerships in the competition.
Youngsters Ben Gillies, Hamish Fowler, Nick Kelly and Tai McLean were all involved in Otago under-17 camps over the winter and will be looking to take a step forward.
Smith hoped the team would improve throughout the season and hopefully push for a semifinals spot.
"It’s building on what we did at the end of last season."
Waitaki Boys’ High School
Could Waitaki Boys’ High School be building something special this summer?
They have a young group which has now gained a good amount of senior cricket experience, coach Jordan Horrell said.
"The year 11s make up the majority of the team; I think there’s five or six of them.
"We’re expecting that they’ll turn the promise into some performances"
Year 13 Billy Wilson will captain the team again and is a key contributor with both bat and ball.
"He had a really good interschool season for us, scored a lot of runs and took wickets."
The first half of the summer will be used to build towards a busy period in the new year, Horrell said.
"We always compete in the field and with the ball. We’re pretty confident we can take 10 wickets.
"The most important thing though is the batting and whether we can score enough runs."
Waitaki Boys’ begin the season with the bye in the opening round.
