Tauranga Boys' College begins its finals quest for national honours today in the 2011 Gillette Cup competition being played at Lincoln Oval in Christchurch.

The Gillette Cup, which has been running for 22 years, has produced 16 players who have gone on to play in the Black Caps.

Tauranga Boys' College contest their Northern Districts semi final in the Gillette Cup competition.

The list includes former Tauranga Boys' College star Kane Williamson, who is presently setting the cricket world on fire with his outstanding batting performances.

Kane holds the record for the most centuries (three) at the annual Gillette Cup Finals tournament.

The Gillette Cup Finals feature six secondary schools, representing the six major cricket associations in the country.

Tauranga Boys' has established an impressive record in the Gillette Cup in the last decade.

First equal in 2005 was followed by three successive third place finishes in the symbol of secondary school cricket superiority in the country.

From over two hundred entries at the start of the 2011 school year, Tauranga Boys' College first XI has battled their way to represent Northern Districts at the prestigious schools tournament.

A measure of the quality of the post section competition is provided by Tauranga Boys' opponents in the Northern Districts final.

Standing in Tauranga Boys' way of making the trip to the South Island was long time rival and former Gillette Cup champion Hamilton Boys' High School.

Played at Tauranga Boys' headquarters at Nicholson Field, the Waikato side batted first and was dismissed for 162.

Thomas MacRury was in outstanding form taking five wickets for just 15 runs.

Led by Tauranga Boys' wicketkeeper Alex Oakley, who top scored with 52, and Elliott Timoti contributing 42 valuable runs, the home side got home with two wickets to spare to earn a Gillette Cup finals berth.

In other cricket news, on Monday, two Bay of Plenty age group representative teams start competition in the annual Northern Districts Junior Secondary Cricket tournament.

Played in Whangarei, this tournament will provide top-level cricket for two Bay of Plenty teams; a Year 9 and 10 representative sides.

Gillette Cup Schedule 2-7 December 2011

2 December – Tauranga Boys' College v Christ College

3 December – TBC v Palmerston North BHS

4 December – TBC v Kings College

5 December – TBC v Hutt International BS

6 December – TBC v Otago BHS