Central West Wranglers top their Plan B Regional Bash group

The combined team of Orange and Bathurst cricketers will now play at the SCG after edging out the Western Plains Outlaws to top the Thunder Pool 1, despite losing their opening game at Wade Park to their rivals on Saturday.

Going into Sunday's final game, the Wranglers not only needed to win big, but also for the Outlaws to suffer a heavy loss.

Thanks to a stunning opening partnership between Dean (57 off 27) and Henry Shoemark (36 off 11), they managed to chase down the 119 needed for victory against the South Coast Crew in just the ninth over in their third and final game.

"You hope to see it click and it really did," Le Lievre said on watching the opening pair bash the ball around.

"They've been mates for many, many years and they were really stoked to even play together for the Wranglers, so to see them do well together was good for us but I think really special for them also."

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They had a nervous wait as the Outlaws lost wicket after wicket as they attempted to chase down the 113 set by the Illawarra Flames in their final game. They were eventually bowled out for 72, which left the Wranglers and Outlaws tied on points. So down to net run rate it came and the boys from Bathurst and Orange came out on top to the tune of 1.36 to -0.04.

"That's called doing it the hard way. When you drop a game, everything has to go right for you to make it through and that's certainly what ended up happening," Le Lievre said on their loss to the Outlaws on Saturday.

"The really good thing is, everyone across the whole squad had a contribution across the three games. That's what you hope for in these games and now we get that opportunity at the SCG and I think that's a good reward for everyone."

Western Zone all-rounder Le Lievre finished the group stage with nine wickets, including 4-21 in Sunday's final game.

Jameel Qureshi scored 30 runs across the first two group games and couldn't wipe the smile off his face after he found out they had topped the group.

"I said to the boys at the start of this thing that this is more than just cricket," he said.

"For me personally, my representative career started down here in Wollongong in the 2004 Bradman Cup side. There's a picture there of me, Blake Dean, Michael Delaney, Nathan Lyon was in that side as well.

"We played against Hugh Le Lievre then and to now play back here with these guys at the back end of our career and to make the SCG is just a very special thing.

"It will be good to get back there (SCG) for a third time. To do it with those guys makes it that much more special."

Joining the Wranglers at the SCG will be defending champions the ACT Aces, the Lake Mac Attack and the Northern Rivers Rock.

Of those sides the Wranglers were the only ones who suffered a loss, although the Northern Rivers did see two of their three games end in a draw due to rain.

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