The question is, who will reign supreme and join the Wagga Wagga Sloggers and Newcastle Blasters in the semi-finals at the SCG on December 10? The fourth spot will go to the winner of the Sixers Conference Coffs Harbour Pool.

Will Central West be able to wrangle up a win on home turf?

Will Orana be able to outlaw any chance of another side progressing, as it looks to defend last year’s title?

Does the Mick Delaney-coached ACT side have an ace up its sleeve?

Will the South Coast prove to be the successful crew?

Only time will tell, but until it does, we’ve got everything you could possibly want or need to know wrapped up here in a neat, little package.

The Wranglers’ record in the first two editions of the competition doesn’t make for pretty reading at all – first-round, knockout losses in 2015-16 and 2016-17, both at the hands of Western Zone rivals Orana.

But after appointing former Cavaliers, Orange and Mitchell Cricket Council skipper Richie Venner as coach, the Central West set-up has had somewhat of a shake-up.

Venner mixed things up in the selection process in the hope of breaking the duck, putting more of an emphasis on Orange District Cricket Association’s Royal Hotel Cup as a yardstick.

As a result, he named a new-look side for this summer’s campaign, one which he’s confident can press its claims for a finals spot.

That side includes four Orange guns – Jackson Coote, Daryl Kennewell, Matt Corben and Josh Doherty, and they’re all pretty confident they can help the Wranglers break their hoodoo.

READ MORE | Colour city connection confident Wranglers can rise to the challenge

The Outlaws claimed last year’s title, advancing to the decider by accounting for Wagga Wagga and then trumping the Northern Rivers Rock to lift the trophy.

But it’s a very different Outlaws side that will front for this summer’s title defence.

Just six of last year’s grand final-winning side have been named for this weekend’s carnival, the most notable omissions are Jordan Moran and Nathan Pilon. The former has a busted thumb while the latter is unavailable under the new rules not allowing marquee players.

Not that coach Jason Ryan’s worried.

Even though he’ll be forced to make a playing comeback himself, Ryan said he’s confident the Outlaws side picked will play the same uncompromising, attacking brand of cricket that was the catalyst for last year’s title.

There’s a couple of youngsters in the side too. Henry Railz is one, fresh off a starring performance for Western Zone.

READ MORE | Railz eager to take his chance with Outlaws after shining for Western Zone

After being pumped by the ACT Aces in their first-up game last month, the South Coast will land in Orange needing something very, very special if its to have a hope of progressing.

Ulladulla’s Connor Hawkins and Batemans Bay’s Carl Lang have come into the side since that thumping loss to the ACT, but even so the Crew is considered gigantic underdogs this weekend.

They’ll need to win both games, and hope other results go their way to even have a chance.

READ MORE | South Coast landing in Orange in need of something special

Coached by former Orange CYMS tearaway Mick Delaney, who led that side to the 2015-16 Orange District Cricket Association premiership, the star-studded Aces side were undeniably the team to beat as recently as three days ago.

Their thumping win over the Crew was something to behold, the Aces skittled South Coast for 75 and ran it down in just 37 balls with nine wickets in hand.

That, combined with their heavier focus on the Regional Bash competition, made it tough to not consider them anything but short-priced favourites.

But then Jono and Blake Dean pulled out, the former has a shoulder complaint while the latter’s wife is expected to give birth soon.

Both with Big Bash League experience, they leave a massive hole in the Aces’ squad.

Delaney is still confident his ACT side won’t just be competitive, he’s certain they can win.

READ MORE | Aces coming to spoil rivals’ party despite Dean brothers’ withdrawal: Delaney

Central West Wranglers v Orana Outlaws (Wade Park, 7pm)

Central West Wranglers v South Coast Crew (Wade Park, 9.30am)

Orana Outlaws v ACT Aces (Riawena Oval, 9.30am)

Central West Wranglers v ACT Aces (Wade Park, 1.30pm)

Orana Outlaws v South Coast Crew (Riawena Oval, 1.30pm)

SEMI-FINALS

Wagga Wagga Sloggers v TBC (Sydney Cricket Ground, 10am)

Newcastle Blasters v TBC (Sydney Cricket Ground, 2pm)

GRAND FINAL

TBC v TBC (Sydney Cricket Ground, 6.30pm)

CENTRAL WEST WRANGLERS: Jameel Qureshi ©, Ryan Peacock ©, Josh Toole, Wayne Sellers, Henry Shoemark, Nic Broes, Connor Slattery, Matt Stephen, Aaron Seymour, Luke Powell, Ben Parsons (Bathurst), Ryan Gurney (Lithgow), Daryl Kennewell, Josh Doherty, Matt Corben, Jackson Coote (Orange)

ACT ACES: Matt Condon ©, Justin Hayward, Tim Floros, Ben Mitchell, Daniel Leerdam, Owen Chivers, Jordie Misic, Josh Wattling (wk), Luke Ryan, Mark Solway, Josh Corbett, Ollie Anable

ORANA OUTLAWS: Greg Buckley ©, Brock Larance, Jordan Peacock, Anthony Heraghty, Mitch Bower, Ben Patterson, Henry Railz, Jacob Harvey, Jason Ryan, William Lindsay, Darrel Williams, Ben Strachan

SOUTH COAST CREW: Brynley Richards ©, Scott McAndrew, Ben Wright, Carl Lang, Connor Hawkins, Michael Perry, Kyle Jarrett, Josh Ryrie, Manning Berry, Scott Groves, Reece Nikotaris, Michael Brannigan

For us here at the Central Western Daily,  we can’t look past ACT for a pool favourite, even without the Dean brothers.

If they were playing, we’d have said you could cancel the carnival and let them go to the SCG.

As reigning champions the Outlaws are a real show, but we’re just not sure if the likes of Jordan Moran, Nathan Pilon and Jacob McNaught can be replaced in a competition like this.

They provided so much to the Outlaws’ campaign last year, and leave a massive hole.

There’s undeniable quality in the guys who have come in, and we’ll happily be proven wrong of course, because we’d obviously much rather see Orana or Central West go through – #sorrynotsorry ACT, and South Coast.

In fact, we’d love nothing more than to see a one-two finish for the Outlaws and Wranglers.

But, the Aces are full of confidence, full of momentum and they’ve named a bumper squad.

They may struggle to adapt to the conditions in Orange though, that’s a real advantage Orana and Central West have, they know these conditions.

Particular Riawena… note to the visitors, go forward. For god’s sake go forward.

On the Wranglers, we’re encouraged to see some different faces in the squad after a somewhat new selection policy was adapted. 

While we’re not entirely sure if they can win the pool, they’re a massive shout to break their competition duck and if any side is going to prove a dark horse and cause an upset or two, we reckon it’s this one.

The South Coast are a complete unknown to us, so based on their massive loss to the Aces, we’re pulling the curtain on them. Sorry Crew.

But anything can happen in Twenty20 cricket and there’s only really one certainty – we’re in for a massive weekend.

We’ve even had a crack at predicting the result of game, assuming they’re played with the weather around.

Orana Outlaws defeat Central West Wranglers

Central West Wranglers defeat South Coast Crew

ACT Aces defeat Orana Outlaws

ACT Aces defeat Central West Wranglers

Orana Outlaws defeat South Coast Crew

ACT Aces

Orana Outlaws

Central West Wranglers

South Coast Crew