Dubbo opening bowler Tim Cox led the way with 3-18 from eight overs as Western dismissed Riverina for just 101 and then a 60-run partnership between Cowra's Michael Curtale and Parkes' Anthony Heraghty saw the target reached inside 25 overs.

"We played really well," Crawley said.

"It was flawless really, the bowlers were methodical, we executed a couple of runouts and we were really up and about in the field. It was a bit of an old fashioned ambush on Riverina."

The day began with a minute's silence as all players honoured the memory of Phillip Hughes and Crawley admitted there was a sombre mood around the camp in the lead-up to the match with Western wicketkeeper Jordan Moran having grown up playing representative cricket alongside Hughes.

"It really affected the cricket community and we're all aware that Jordan Moran and Phil were good mates growing up so Jordan was in our thoughts the last 24 hours," he said.

Once the game began Western immediately got on top to leave Riverina in all sorts of trouble at 5-45, an opening spell which included two wickets in two balls from Cox.

Ash Borella (31) and B Todd (30) were the only Riverina players to make double figures as Ryan Medley (2-21), Ben Patterson (1-6), Will Lindsay (1-14) and Tim Berry (1-17) all chipped in.

Two runouts, one from Josh Toole and one from Moran, also helped Western's cause and Crawley was full of praise for his side's fielding efforts.

"There was really high energy in the field, our captain stayed in front of the game and all the bowlers were terrific, we bowled in partnerships and really choked the batsmen," he said.

Western slumped to 2-20 in the run chase but Curtale (47) and Heraghty (36) smashed their way into a match-winning position.

"We lost a couple of quick wickets but Mick and 'Rabs' (Heraghty) took the game away from them in about five or six overs, Mick played the way he does and 'Rabs' played the secondary role," Crawley said.

"About halfway through the run chase we decided to go for the bonus points and we got two of them but we're not getting ahead of ourselves, we need to bring the same attitude tomorrow (today)."

Western are now well-placed for a Championship tilt and today meet Southern, who were yesterday beaten by Illawarra.

"It was important to win day one and those bonus points could come in very handy," Crawley said.

"We always knew what we were capable of , we just had to go out there and do it."