Close to three-quarters of the players in action hail from Zig Zag country, with the Bulls poaching four of Lithgow’s best at the end of last summer.

Premiership winning Lightning guns Ryan Gurney, Dallas Tilley, Chris Redding and Josh Howarth all made the move to the Bathurst club during the off season in search of a higher level of competitive cricket on a weekly basis.

Howarth will be the only omission from the travelling Lithgow quartet on Wednesday night but, 2016-17 Carl Sharpe Medalist for player of the Royal Hotel Cup, Gurney, Tilley and Redding are all set to arrive at Wade Park in form and ready to inflict their home side with its first T20 defeat in over 14 months.

Gurney is chomping at the bit ahead of the clash, with the winner to face either CYMS or Bathurst City in the decider – the minor premiers and Redbacks face off in the second semi-final on Friday night.

“There’s always banter, the Lithgow boys love that,” Gurney laughed, expecting a call from Lightning skipper Ben Sheehan in the lead-up.

“He’s the main banter man, too, old Benny. 

“We’re very keen, though, hopefully we can keep the roll going. I still don’t think we’ve played our best yet, either. If we can produce that then there’s no stopping us, I think.”

Gurney’s Centennials are flying into Wednesday night’s final four clash in tremendous form.

The Bulls disposed of Orange City on Valentines Day to creep into the top four before demolishing Kinross last Friday to head into the finals as, arguably, the team to beat.

Gurney believes that win over the Warriors last Wednesday has set up his side’s crack at the title.

And he said if the likes of skipper Josh Toole and fellow opener Mick Curtale fire, the Bulls can knock off Lithgow to progress to the decider.

“Both of them are freaks. They’ve played a lot of T20 cricket,” he added.

Having been crowned the player of the tournament after Lithgow stormed to last year’s Royal Hotel Cup, Gurney admits to feeling a bit of pressure in his first few games as a Bull.

But a knock of 37 and a devastating three-over spell that netted 3-21 in the win over Orange City has helped lift his confidence.

That’s a fairly ominous warning for his former teammates, too.

“There’s always a bit of pressure, Twenty20 is a funny game though. It’s half luck, really, and luck was on my side last year,” he said, averaging 50 with the bat last summer.

“I’ve burnt that luck a bit this season, but cricket is a team sport and all the boys have been chipping in.

“Benny for sure, he’s their main man, and their marquee bowler, Patty Lawrence is pretty sharp. I’m sure I’ll get a phone call from Benny soon.”

Wednesday night’s Royal Hotel Cup semi-final between the second-placed Lightning and the third-placed Bulls begins at 6.30pm at Wade Park.