Taieri has been one of the more successful senior teams in recent years, but a host of departures and a thin talent stream has depleted its ranks for this summer, club stalwart and player-coach Michael MacKenzie says.
Taieri opens its campaign against rival Green Island at Sunnyvale today, weather permitting.
While MacKenzie is optimistic about his side's chances, he is also concerned about the team's decline since it won its last banner in 2006-07.
"I wouldn't say we are struggling to get a team together," MacKenzie said.
"I'd say we are struggling for quality.
The numbers are there but we've lost a lot of key players and the quality hasn't been there to replace them."
Former Otago and Canterbury batsman Marcel McKenzie has been a big contributor for the club over the years, but has opted out this season, citing a niggly shoulder injury and work commitments.
Former Otago medium-pacer Nic Turner has moved to Auckland, while opening batsman Hayden Anderson has gone overseas and Jason Jones and Mark Beer are also unavailable.
MacKenzie has returned after a year off.
He has played 205 games for the club, taken about 250 wickets and scored about 4000 runs.
Only left-arm spinner Graham Jones has played more matches for Taieri.
He made 210 appearances, a record MacKenzie hopes to overhaul this summer.
The 35-year-old will not be the oldest member of the side; 40-year-old left-arm bowler Ryan Dowling has been lured back from retirement.
There is some young talent emerging, with the likes of fast bowler Enoka Taufua joining the squad, but MacKenzie, a sports co-ordinator at John McGlashan College, is concerned the sport is in decline at secondary school level.
"It comes back to the club recruitment - we've got to be more proactive," he said. "We've dropped the ball on that but there is not a lot of quality coming out of Taieri College.
There are about 1000 kids at the school and one cricket team [playing in the senior grade of the secondary schools competition]."
Nationally, the number of children playing cricket at secondary school is in decline, falling from 17,794 in 2000 to 13,121 in 2008.
Another issue has been the formation of an eighth club, Pelichet Bay, in Dunedin.
The club was created last season, essentially to help avoid a bye round. MacKenzie believes it is soaking up most of the new talent to arrive in Dunedin and questions whether there are enough cricketers in the city for eight senior teams to be fielded.
Defending champion Green Island has retained the bulk of its side.
Medium-pacer Dion Lobb was the club bowler of the year and will be a key player, along with batsman Jordan Sheed.
Albion looks well-positioned to improve on last season's second placing and has a good core of Otago players in Nick Beard, Shaun Haig and Nathan McCullum.
The bowling attack will be led by the capable duo of Ollie Newton and Nick Cape.
The bulk of the runs will probably come from Jamie Glenn, PJ Cairns and player-coach Nathan King.
Veteran batsman Andrew Hore returns to bolster a promising University-Grange batting line-up which includes Black Cap Aaron Redmond and Otago all-rounder Sam Wells.
Carisbrook-Dunedin has a blend of experience and youth, with Otago players Greg Todd and Warren McSkimming rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dan Willemsen and Ash Simpson.
North East Valley has secured the services of Black Cap Neil Broom's brother, Darren Broom.
Darren was one of the leading batsmen in Christchurch club cricket last season.
Kaikorai is a team without stars, but it effected a few upsets last season and finished in fifth place.
Expansion side Pelichet Bay struggled last year and will be looking for more consistency.
