Rugby, the defending Twenty20 champions, showed they'll be a force again in the short form of the game with a victory set up by a dominant batting performance at the now-excavated No. 1 Oval.

Mitch Bower led the way with a hard-hitting 75 while captain Jordan Moran (37), Ben Patterson (34 not out), Ben Taylor (27) and Aidan Bennewith (23) all doing their part in the total of 6-206.

Rugby's total was scored at over 10 runs an over and Newtown fell well short in the end, finishing at 9-139 from their 20 overs.

After winning the toss and batting Rugby lost Lee Price (2) early but Bower and Moran added 63 in less than six overs to set the platform for a big innings.

Mat Skinner (2-34) removed Moran but Bennewith then added 48 with Bower before he was dismissed by the slower bowling of Tetaan Henning (2-35).

Ben Taylor picked up where the others left off, smashing 27 before Bower departed after hitting five sixes and seven fours in his innings.

The innings ended in a flourish with Patterson belting four sixes in a quickfire 34 not out to help the total pass 200.

Newtown were boosted by the inclusion of Ian Redpath and he made 34 after Mat Skinner fell early for 7.

Redpath had combined with Steve Skinner (32) for a 56 run partnership but from there only Dan French (17) and Werner Rowland (14) could manage double figures.

Jarrod Toole (4 not out) and Ben Knaggs (2 not out) remained at the crease at the end of the innings.

Ben Patterson was a standout with the ball, taking an extremely economic 1-11 from his four overs, while Nic Karydis ripped through the middle order to finish with 4-22.

Zac Murphy (2-27) was the other wicket-taker while Rugby showed their class in the field by causing two runouts.

This Friday night sees the Castlereagh Hornets take on the CYMS Cougars with the match most likely to be played at No.3 Oval.

Rugby's next match is against the Hornets on December 12 while Newtown don't have another Twenty20 match until January 16, against the Cricketer's Arms Journeymen.