Otago Country hardly trains together, the team is spread far and wide, and the players lose money when they play.
But despite those obstacles - which would make most professional sportsmen not even get out of bed in the morning - the side has just won its holy grail, the Hawke Cup.
Country beat North Otago on the first innings at the weekend, bringing the trophy back to Alexandra for just the second time in its existence.
Otago Country previously won the trophy in 1996 but that was a side full of stars, including former Otago batsman Richard Hoskin and future New Zealand paceman Shayne O'Connor.
This side is not packed full of big names.
Country coach Andy Sainsbury, originally from Somerset, said the side relied on team work in what many saw as an individual sport.
"It was a lot of hard work by the players, and a lot of years building to get to where we are now," Sainsbury said yesterday.
"We've talked about really wanting to play for Otago Country and having some pride in the team. About taking that step up from club play.
"We just like to do things together. Sit at matches together, go out and have tea and lunch together. We just want to hang around together and give it a family atmosphere.
"Does it help? I think it does. It has made us a tougher team.
"In the weekend, when North Otago had a good partnership going, we hung in there, supporting each other."
Sainsbury, who also doubles as the cricket development officer in the region and is the Otago Country association's sole employee, said the side had grown over the past few years.
"The team, from when I started to now, is completely different.
"It is much the same personnel but they have a lot more ability and a much better self-belief."
The Otago Country area runs from Maniototo and Central Otago through the Queenstown Lakes area and also West and South Otago.
That makes team trainings a rarity.
"I might go out and have a bit of one-on-one coaching with a player but we don't really have team trainings.
"If a guy has to travel two hours to a training and then two hours back again, then that is a huge commitment.
"You've got to think whether it is really worth it.
"So we don't really have team trainings."
And, after all, the players have jobs to hold down.
Time away from home is money lost.
The team contains farmers, contractors and a hydrologist.
Key all-rounder Cam Rutherford is about to start an accountancy job with Deloitte in Dunedin, while captain Brendon Domigan has his own tile contracting business.
"The guys give up a lot to play.
"For a challenge, they have to give up work for Thursday and Friday and then play through the weekend."
Country cricket reflected much of club cricket across New Zealand, with teams struggling for numbers and clubs disappearing.
"There is probably only about eight teams to pick from, so there is not a huge amount of players to pick.
"But it is more about having pride in playing for the side."
The Otago Country team played in the Dunedin metropolitan competition earlier this season and Sainsbury said that had been of huge benefit.
"Because we don't train that often, that Dunedin competition was really important, as it enabled us to play together as a team and get to know each other."
Otago Country Cricket Association president Malcolm Jones said the win at the weekend was from a pretty special team.
"They are a pretty special bunch of guys.
"I think they're together as a team as opposed to 11 individuals playing the game."
He said players such as Domigan, wicketkeeper James Pyle and bowler Eric Standfield had come into the side 11-12 years ago as teenagers and had grown into good cricketers.
"Some of them are probably good enough to play first-class cricket.
"But it can be a bit of a struggle coming from the country."
Jones was the scorer when the Country side - then known as Central Otago - won the trophy in 1996.
He does not want a repeat of what happened 15 years ago, when the side lost it to Nelson in the very first challenge.
"We don't want that to happen again.
"Marlborough will be coming down with plenty of will to play, so we've got to play just as well as we've been doing."
