Newcastle side Merewether is next on the radar for Cox's men after Weston Creek posed little trouble, with Dubbo chasing down their target of 168 for the loss of just three wickets.

Ben Strachan and Mitch Bower led the way for Dubbo, with Strachan bagging five wickets and Bower punishing the bowlers on his way to a classy 74 before being run out.

"To get that win was good but I told the boys in the debrief that it was just another goal ticked off," Cox said.

"Our first goal was to make it to this final eight, the second goal was to win our first game here and by doing that we've given ourselves a chance to achieve the next goal of making it to play on the SCG in the final."

After winning the toss, Cox elected to send the Canberra-based side in to bat after rain on Christmas Day had left the wicket damp.

The move proved to be a masterstroke as Dubbo's core group of seamers created all sorts of havoc.

Young quick Ben Patterson got the key wicket of Blake Dean for just four, and the work done by he and Cox with the new ball was backed up by Tim Berry and Strachan when they got their chances.

"I thought 'Patto' getting Blake Dean early was big because Blake has had Big Bash experience and was their key player," Cox said.

"We were really on our game in the field, and the pressure we were able to create by bowling the right areas and not giving them any cheap runs really told.

"There wasn't much bounce in the deck but 'Strachany' can get a bit out of any wicket and he troubled them with that, and there was enough sideways movement in it for Tim Berry, 'Patto' and myself to make it hard for them."

Paul Hulthen (11) and Ryan Medley (9) got Dubbo off to a handy enough start with the bat, putting on 22 for the first wicket but it was Bower and Jordan Moran who did the bulk of the damage.

Bower punished any loose balls that came his way, and was particularly savage on Weston Creek's spinners on his way to 74 as he and his Rugby teammate Moran (47 not out) put on 109 for the third wicket.

Their partnership came to an end just two overs before the match finished when a mix-up resulted in Bower being run out.

"In any game you want your top four to go out and make runs and that happened today," Cox said.

"The bowlers are there to get you wickets and the batsmen are there to get you runs and everyone did their job today.

"We know it won't be easy against Merewether but we're playing good cricket at the moment and we're confident and that's what you need in order to beat these very good sides."