The Wranglers boys certainly are.

“Stevo just said to me it’ll be like playing for Australia for the day,” Central West Wranglers skipper Jameel Qureshi said.

“It’s going to be special.”

Special is an understatement, really.

Qureshi and Matt Stephen, or Stevo has the burly all-rounder is known as, are talking about their side’s highly anticipated trip to the hallow turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground, Central West booking its place in the Plan B Regional Bash semi-finals after two wins from as many games in the Bathurst pool of the Thunder conference last weekend.

Saturday’s 35-run win over Orana was the Wranglers first triumph in the competition’s four-year history.

So naturally, the side’s December trek to Sydney to play in the finals will also be a first.

A first for the team, and all of the Wranglers’ players.

Even for a guy like Qureshi, a star bat that’s played all levels of rep cricket in Western Zone and has tasted grade cricket in Sydney, it’s an experience he’s eager to embrace. 

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“You have to soak it in, don’t you?” the 30-year-old said.

“For me, people talk about Lord’s being the home of cricket, the MCG, too, but the home of cricket for me is in NSW.

“It’s always been considered the best state or province for cricket world wide and the history at the SCG … you see Bradman, Waugh, those sorts of names on the wall, the toughest and greatest cricketers we’ve produced have been in those sheds.

“It’s going to be special.”

Qureshi says it will be nigh on impossible to keep the younger guys in the squad grounded as they prepare to play what will be the biggest games of their young careers to date – Nic Broes, Ben Mitchell, Ben Sheehan and Josh Doherty are in that boat.

As a result, the Blayney-based, Bathurst skipper will be encouraging those young players to embrace the moment.

But what about the veterans? 

It’ll be the same deal – not that Qureshi could have contained the likes of Centrals skipper Daryl Kennewell, anyway. 

The Orange veteran is already Big Kev levels of excitement. 

“Mate, I could sit and watch and be just as excited as I would be playing,” Kennewell laughed.

“Just the feeling of walking out on such a hallowed ground like the Sydney Cricket Ground and soaking it up will be something I'll cherish forever.”

You get the feeling Matty Stephen is the same.

Qureshi said he spoke to the Bathurst gun on Monday morning for an hour and all he wanted to talk about was the SCG.

Kennewell, a 39-year-old quick who just a few years ago was trundling away in the Orange lower grades, knows as well as anyone chances like this one don’t come around often at all.

“And at my age and time in my cricketing life it was a very distant dream that’s now come true,” the newly selected Western Zone quick said.

“To get to this point with the great bunch of Wranglers players is a massive achievement.”

So much so, Kennewell says he’s keen for his entire family and club to attend the December 2 finals day.

“They have helped me restore my passion for the game in the last few years and I wouldn't be here without them. I just cant wait to bowl my first delivery at the SCG and shake off the nerves,” he said.

Not convinced a competition like the Regional Bash means much, yet?

If you were on deck at Bathurst on Sunday you would have seen how dejected the Orana boys looked after a winless campaign.

This is a team enamored with success. The Outlaws, seemingly, win for fun.

But Sunday’s feeling was foreign to them. They looked shattered.

Why?

Playing at the SCG is something they wanted just as badly as the Wranglers boys.

Playing at a venue steeped in so much tradition is a carrot no other country players in any sport have dangled in front of them. 

Cricketers should lap it up. Certainly the Wranglers boys will.

“I think you’ve got to embrace it,” Qureshi adds.

“These young guys are going to grow another foot. Twenty20s are all about confidence, isn’t it? So you don’t rein in these young guys. You say to them this is an opportunity you may never get again … make the most of it and go out and back yourself.”

And the prospect of winning? Qureshi’s group is a big chance.

“I said to the boys … the Outlaws have been in the grand final every year, so why can’t we win it?” he added.

Central West takes on the winner of the Waggo pool, which will be played this weekend, in its semi-final.

The Plan B Regional Bash pool winners to play at the Sydney Cricket Ground finals on December 2: