Riverina coach Trent Ball believes the team's batting firepower will be the strength at the inaugural Country Bash in Orange on Thursday.
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The Country Bash has replaced the Regional Bash.
It's still a T20 competition, but is now zone-based, rather than association-based.
It means the Border Bullets, which was Cricket Albury-Wodonga's representative team, no longer exists.
"We haven't had a line-up like this for a long time, there's Ben Mitchell, Ethan Bartlett, Nick Whitelaw, Josh Staines, Jake Scott and Hamish Starr, that's quality," Ball praised.
Staines is still an under 23 player, but will captain the team, having played first grade with Gordon at NSW Premier level and in multiple premierships at ACT club Tuggeranong Valley.
Riverina is based in the southern NSW pool and will face Southern Districts in the first game, while home zone Western meets Central Coast.
The winners will then meet in the southern pool final at 2pm.
The winner of that game will play northern NSW pool champions Greater Illawarra at Sydney Showground Stadium on Wednesday morning, January 17.
Sydney Thunder will host Melbourne Renegades at the same venue from 7.15pm.
Meanwhile, Riverina will also contest the NSW Country Championships at Orange, from Friday to Sunday.
The 50-over tournament is also in the southern pool with the same teams as the Country Bash.
The winner will meet Northern champions Newcastle in the December 10 final, at a venue to be confirmed.
St Patrick's captain and all-rounder Dean Nicholson will make his debut.
"I expect Dean Nicholson to go well and take that next step," Ball suggested.
"And Beck Frostick from Wagga has had two centuries and a 90 in his last three games, so hopefully he can keep that form going opening the batting."
Riverina faces Central Coast on Friday, followed by Southern Districts (Saturday) and Western (Sunday).
The zone has had a strong buy-in from players, with only a handful unavailable, including St Pat's coach Liam Scammell and North Albury duo Cal Langlands and Tom Hemsley, while Wagga's Sam Gainsford has been ruled out with a serious back injury.
Gainsford captained Riverina last year, with Staines to assume that role.
Riverina won two of its three games last season, falling to Western in the final round, with Gainsford rupturing his Achilles early in that match.
The T20 side is: Josh Staines (c) Belvoir u23, Ben Mitchell (vc) Corowa, Ethan Bartlett Wagga RSL, Nicholas Whitelaw Belvoir, Jake Scott Penrith u23*, Hamish Starr Kooringal Colts, Beck Frostick St Michael's, Chris Galvin Lavington, Brad McMillan Albury, Jay Lavis Corowa u23*, Mac Webster South Wagga u23*, Luke Docherty Lavington, Ryan Brown Lavington.
The 50-over side is: Josh Staines (c) Belvoir u23, Chris Galvin (vc) Lavington, Hamish Starr (vc) Kooringal Colts, Beck Frostick St Michael's, Drew Cameron Belvoir, Ben Fulford North Albury, Brad McMillan Albury, Mac Webster South Wagga u23*, Nathan Brown Lavington, Zac Starr Kooringal Colts, Dean Nicholson St Patrick's, Ryan Brown Lavington, Luke Docherty Lavington.
